No longer confident they can win a championship with their current roster, the Phoenix Suns are close to completing a blockbuster trade that will bring them Shaquille O’Neal, a source with knowledge of the negotiations said Tuesday.

O’Neal is scheduled to travel to Phoenix aboard a private plane Wednesday and undergo an MRI on his left hip, the source said. If he passes the physical, the Suns are expected to send Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks to the Miami Heat.

[...]

The trade would represent a dramatic change for the Suns, whose run-and-gun, small-ball style had revolutionized the league in recent seasons. That same style, however, has failed to bring the Suns a championship, and team officials have become increasingly skeptical about their chances of contending without giving Amare Stoudamire some help on the frontline – even though Phoenix owns the Western Conference’s best record at 34-14.

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