It appears that the Phoenix Suns have gone from solar-powered to diesel-powered. Today the Suns traded forward Shawn Marion and guard Marcus Banks for Miami Heat center Shaquille O’Neal.

In hopes of improving their interior defense and battling against the bevy of Western Conference big men, Suns GM Steve Kerr made the move for the 7-1, 325-lb. giant. O’Neal, who is in the midst of his 15th season, returns to the Western Conference after capturing three NBA Championships with the arch-rival Los Angeles Lakers and one with the Miami Heat.

“It makes us more rounded and gives us a better opportunity to succeed in the playoffs,” Kerr said. “We were unanimous upstairs over this being the right thing to do.”

As recent as two weeks ago, Kerr told the press that he was planning on keeping the core of the team together, but when Miami approached him with the deal, he had to reconsider.

“If you would have asked me two weeks ago if we would have done anything, I would have said, ‘No,’" Kerr said. "But, I didn’t see this opportunity coming.”

O’Neal has tallied 14.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.7 blocks this season, despite being plagued by the injuries for most of the season. The 14-time All-Star has been sidelined the past two weeks with an acute left hip and quadriceps inflammation.

“I wasn’t going to do this deal unless I felt really good about it from a medical point of view,” the Suns GM said. “The reports that I got from (Head Trainer) Aaron Nelson and (Team Physician) Dr. Carter were really, really good.”

Known as one of the top medical staffs in the league, they felt that he was going to make a dramatic improvement with better care and enhanced flexibility. The training staff has already performed wonders with Steve Nash, Grant Hill and Antonio McDyess.

While Kerr sought out counsel from a medical point of view, he also wanted assurance that the coaching staff and players were on board as well. There wasn’t any doubt in Head Coach Mike D’Antoni’s mind that this was the correct move.

“I thought we were going to win the title and I think we've done well by becoming first in the West,” D’Antoni said. “But when the Shaq name came up, I think we just got better.

“A lot of you guys (media) don’t think he has enough gas in the tank. But I think you’re wrong.”

Shaq lets the fans know why he came to Phoenix. Domenic Centofanti/Getty Images

Two-time MVP Steve Nash echoed his sentiments.

“I know there are a lot of varying opinions and a lot of people’s perception of Shaq may not be where it should,” he said. “But if you look at all of the areas we are not good in, he adds a lot to those areas.

“He’s an experienced champion, he’s got the size we always lacked, he can defend the post, he can rebound and he can block some shots. He fills those holes for us and it's a great opportunity for us to have a type of player we’ve never had.”

When asked if there were any doubts about the trade, Nash responded, “There’s predominantly excitement and optimism on our team and I’d like to think the guys in our locker room know something about basketball.”

So while O’Neal is welcomed with open arms, Kerr, D’Antoni and Nash all expressed gratitude and a tinge of regret to see the four-time All-Star Marion head to the Heat.

“I want to thank Shawn and Marcus for what they’ve done,” D’Antoni said. “The whole time I have been here Shawn has been here and he has meant a lot to this city and me personally.”

“The Matrix” averaged 15.8 point, 9.9 rebounds and 1.49 blocks this season, while Banks was averaging 5.2 points and one assist a game. With O’Neal inserted into the lineup, it appears as if Amaré Stoudemire will slide to power forward and Hill will man the wing. Kerr and D’Antoni both believe the addition of O’Neal keeps the Suns from having to double-team opposing Western Conference big men like Tim Duncan and Andrew Bynum in the post. That will allow the Suns to stay home on the other teams’ outside shooters on defense.

And while one would think that the addition of O’Neal would slow the Suns dynamic tempo, D’Antoni disagrees.

“Didn’t the Showtime Lakers have a 40-year old center running behind those other guys?” the Suns Head Coach questioned. “Shaq was telling me upstairs that he’s going to be ready to run the floor if he doesn’t get the defensive rebound.”

Both Kerr and D’Antoni are in agreement that their style may alter a little, but feel that overall the change will make them more versatile.

“I find it funny that people say we can’t win without a big man and then once we get a big man they say we can’t win with a big man,” D’Antoni quipped.

Besides being a force on the blocks that almost always commands a double-team, O’Neal has been a constant matchup problem since he entered the league. D’Antoni knows first hand what it is like to prepare against a team with him on it.

“The players know that when we went over a Miami scouting report we spent 80 percent of the time going over one guy,” said the former Coach of the Year. “They understand how dominating he can be.”

Kerr hopes that O'Neal can impart his wisdom and experience to the other players and serve as a mentor to a younger Stoudemire. The presence of O'Neal also allows the Suns to have a true pecking order in the locker room, which Kerr identified as a vital characteristic of his championship teams. He also believes O'Neal has a bit of chip on his shoulder.

After seeing a TV poll that showed that 71 percent of the country thought that the Suns were mistaken in acquiring him, O'Neal told the Suns front office he was angered by the criticism. Then he followed it up by saying, “But I play my best when I am angry.”

The Suns really stressed the type of intangibles that O’Neal could provide off of the court. Not only is he a proven leader and winner that has made everyone around him better, he possesses an infectious personality that can truly electrify a locker room.

Nash is certain that the three-time Finals MVP will bolster team chemistry, “I think ‘The Big Aristotle’ is going to be fun for us.”

And as O’Neal was introduced to the crowd and pointed to his ring finger, it seems as if he is already off to a head start.

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