The Jamaica Star :: Sport :: Miami to trade Shaq - <i> report </I>

Shaquille O'Neal - ap

miami (ap)

Shaquille O'Neal is prepared for the Miami Heat to trade him, a confidant of the 14-time NBA All-Star centre told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

O'Neal's associate, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to reveal anything publicly, indicated a move could be imminent.

"Shaq thinks something will happen," the associate said.

"Serious ongoing" trade

The Miami Herald reported earlier Tuesday that Miami is in "serious and ongoing" trade negotiations with the Phoenix Suns, and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel said the deal could occur "within 48 hours." A Heat spokesman said the team had no comment, and several Suns officials didn't immediately return phone calls from the AP.

The Herald report said the Suns would send Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks to Miami in exchange for O'Neal, who is averaging a career-low 14.2 points and has been sidelined for the past two weeks by a lingering hip injury.

The Arizona Republic also reported a deal could be imminent and that O'Neal had contacted some Suns players Tuesday.

When asked last week about another report that a Shaq trade was possible, Heat coach Pat Riley said, "Not true."

But since the Los Angeles Lakers struck a deal with Memphis last week for Pau Gasol to strengthen their line-up, there's been speculation about how other Western Conference teams would respond.

And a Shaq-to-the-Suns deal would create a buzz.

"Really?" said the Lakers' Kobe Bryant, O'Neal's former teammate, when told of the apparently pending deal. "I know he likes the warm weather."

It isn't known if O'Neal - who has two full seasons remaining after this one on his US$100 million, five-year contract - would welcome a trade.

A four-time NBA champion, O'Neal entered this season talking about how he wanted to win at least one more title, saying his "legacy" wouldn't be complete unless he left the game with at least five rings.

If he's going to get No. 5 this year, he'd have to go elsewhere.

The Heat have lost 19 of their past 20 games and have the NBA's worst record at 9-37. Phoenix, meanwhile, entered Tuesday with a 1-1/2-game lead over New Orleans and Dallas in the race for the best record in the Western Conference.