It was already September. Normally, at this time of year, all the major deals in the free agent market would have long since been finalized, with only some minor roster tweaks remaining.
But now, the Phoenix Suns had suddenly put O'Neal on the trading block, an act that, like dynamiting a pond, sent shockwaves through the entire league.
Or, to put it another way, it caught everyone completely off guard.
Teams had already re-signed their players and inked new deals. They had painstakingly calculated their salary cap space and their rosters were more or less set. Given O'Neal's massive salary, trying to assemble a trade package and match the numbers on such short notice was a monumental task.
You have to understand, a trade for a superstar like O'Neal typically required teams to start clearing salary space and gathering assets one or two years in advance.
Furthermore, the inherent limitations on O'Neal's trade value severely restricted the Phoenix Suns' options.
