Shawn Marion doesn’t know what the future holds once his current deal expires in 2014. In the remaining time he’d like to play on a good team again. If Marion and his $8.4 million salary are traded from Dallas — whose team is very bad this year and will only be good next if a major free-agent haul is signed — by the deadline of Feb. 21, and that destination is a bad team, Marion doesn’t want to be any part of it. Marion told the Dallas Morning News “I’m not going.”
How likely is Marion going to be dealt? He’s averaging a career high in assist percentage (15.4) and is rebounding at his best percentage since 2007-08. He also has the highest turnovers per 100 possessions of his career, too. Still, Marion’s unorthodox jumper is still producing, which makes him stand out as a productive player on a team of similarly older, once-great players just getting through the season.
“The thing is, right now, you come into a position like I am, this is my 14th season,” Marion, 34, said after practice Friday. “If I’m going to get traded, they’re going to tell me what’s going on and where I’m going.
“Because if I’m going to a (crummy) situation, I’m not going. It’s just that simple.”
Marion does not have the ability, by contract, to veto trades, but he does have a 15-percent trade-kicker clause.
“At this time, I’m too old to be trying to go through and (bad situation). . . and not have a chance to do anything,” Marion said. “I’m at a point where I want to be playing for something right now.”
That 15 percent kicker means he would earn 15 percent more on his contract if he’s traded (he does not hold a trade veto). Is playing on a bad team worth an extra $1.26 million this season? He says — and I want to clarify that though it’s not immediately clear how much he’s kidding, he still acknowledged this — he might retire. “Anything is possible,” he said.
A title team is the only way he’ll leave.
“That’s the only way I’m going, yeah,” Marion said. “That’s it. That’s the only possibility that could come out of that. Other than that, it ain’t happening.”
What do you think?
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