Written by Zach Harper | 24 March 2009

In the span of about 13 months, Shawn Marion went from being a crucial part of a team vying for Western Conference supremacy to struggling mightily on a team that is 20 games under .500 and quickly going nowhere fast.  His rebounding average is at an all-time low, his scoring is significantly down from previous years, minutes per game lowered from close to 40 to barely over 30, field goal percentage down etc.

What happened to the player we know as The Matrix?

Let's get a few things straight; Shawn Marion is a genuinely good person.  I remember him donation $1 Million dollars to the United Way when he signed his big contract extension for the Suns in 2002.  Fans loved his passion for the game, his no-nonsense attitude, and his loyalty to the Suns.  With it being a well known fact that the Suns take care of players who work hard, are loyal, and perform it was somewhat expected that Marion would be a lifelong member of the Suns and a spot in their Ring of Honor should be all but solidified.

How quickly things can change...

During the Nash era, Marion became an after-thought (in his opinion) on a team that was point guard-centric.  In his estimation, the little things he would do over the course of a game went unnoticed, despite having quote after quote from players, coaches, fans, and even media stating otherwise.  Simply put, Marion wanted to be the first or second option (even on a mediocre team) rather than the 4^th or 5th on a good team.

Upon his trade to the Heat, there was a sense of excitement again for Shawn.  Pairing with superstar Dwayne Wade was intriguing as he would once again become the 2^nd option, and perhaps even a piece to build around based on comments from Pat Riley.  Yes, the Heat were struggling, but he once again felt valued.  Needless to say, the experiment didn't go as planned.

Marion averaged a respectable 13 points and 9 rebounds during his tenure in Miami; something that most teams would love.  But, due to the high standards (and talk) that Marion upheld, it was somewhat of a letdown.  It became clear there was never a real sense that the Heat could build around both Wade and a 30 year old Marion.  Seemingly, it was becoming clearer and clearer that Marion's best years were behind him.

When the Heat unloaded Marion's salary to Toronto (along with perpetual trade-bait and team budget killer Marcus Banks) there was once again a sense of hope for Marion.  But the feeling of hope wouldn't last long.  After only 10 games as a Raptor, Marion spoke out again.  In a quote from SLAM Magazine Marion stated, "I'm pissed off.  I am. I want to win. I don't want to go out there and lose every night. I didn't come here for this. I didn't expect this."

Unfortunately, Marion has no one to blame but himself for his recent turmoil.  He demanded a trade from a consistently contending team in the Phoenix Suns whom he felt didn't give him enough respect.  Despite being a fan favorite and touted in both NBA circles and the mainstream media, it wasn't enough for Shawn.

It is well known (and perhaps more so now) that Marion is a system player.  The system he was playing in Phoenix fit his skill-set perfectly.  It allowed Shawn to get out on the open floor, have the freedom and green light to shoot, and set him loose with his high basketball IQ.  Though, this was apparently not important to Shawn.  What was important was getting paid and being the man.

It certainly is funny (or depressing) how ego's can affect everything we do in life.  Admittedly, everyone does tend to look for that "grass is always greener" mentality and constantly seeks to improve their life to the best of their ability.  However, that journey can far too often be clouded by material things and a sense of self-worth that is higher than the truth.  Though we might understand that deep down, we ignore it to head for the "greener" side - even if things are pretty good where we are at.

Shawn Marion is the perfect case study of this phenomenon.  Making insane amounts of money, being loved by millions, and having constant success wasn't enough.  He wanted more; more recognition, more money, and more importance.

Perhaps Marion is slowly seeing how good he had it in Phoenix.  Maybe he is looking back and kicking himself for demanding a trade.  Maybe not.  Regardless, he'll always be known as a Sun with his amazing dunks, hustle/energy, and passion for winning.  One thing is certain; Suns fans will always welcome him back with open arms.

If his recent struggles aren't humbling enough for him to eat crow, perhaps knowing Suns fans will always love him despite his desire for "more"...will be.


Ben York is a Suns blogger for Fanster Sports. You can find all of his writings plus more Suns stuff here.

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