This is not a great question. Clearly the 2 trades were different. Barkley was brought in here to be our dominate player/leader. Shaq was not. We had a stretch of bad luck that had more to do with us not getting a title then anything CB didn't do.
If we win a title with Shaq here it will be more about us adding Grant, Adding Shaq, changing our style and picking up good role players like GG that will win us the title. Shaq wouldn't bring the title here as much as be one of a few pieces that helped us win a title.
well put. saying this, shaq cannot deliver what barkley could not. nash and amare could, shaq will just help them get there. it's been said several times, he's not brought here to carry the team but to help them get over the hump...
even as a shaq fan, i'm still not buying the idea of the suns winning it all, based on the team's current good performances. as far as i'm concerned, the test drive doesn't start until the second round of PO. so until then, i'll shush. no question the suns are totally could, but "could" and "will" are totally different since several other teams also "could"...
i do like our chances, including next year with everything else being equal...