36 year-old Shaquille O’Neal and his last two $20 million-per-year contracts was traded by the Miami Heat on Wednesday to Phoenix, in exchange for All-Star forward Shawn Marion and guard Marcus Banks.

The Heat, struggling at 9-37 this season and headed for the lottery, with Marion, who earns $16.4 million this year with a one year option remaining at $17.8 million, maybe banking on the fact that Marion might opt to leave, giving the Heat some money to sign a free agent.

Plus, the estranged marriage between Pat Riley and O'Neal seemed to have gotten worse as O’Neal frequently complained about his role in the offense. He even went after Riley during a late November practice and had to be restrained by Center Alonzo Mourning, which Riley said had nothing to do with the trade.