PHOENIX (AP):

THE PHOENIX Suns acquired former National Basketball Association player of the year Shaquille O'Neal yesterday in a major trade that sends four-time NBA All-Star Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks to the Miami Heat.

The improbable pairing of the speedy Suns and the slow but once-mighty O'Neal became official when he cleared a physical exam yesterday.

The trade, a dramatic move by first-year Phoenix general manager Steve Kerr, signals an unexpected change in philosophy for the Suns, adding the centre who has won four NBA championships but has been plagued by injuries in recent years and turns 36 next month. O'Neal has been out with a hip injury and underwent an MRI exam in Miami on Tuesday. He flew to Phoenix yesterday for the physical.

O'Neal has averaged 25.6 points and 11.5 rebounds in his 14-plus NBA seasons.

Injuries

This season, plagued by injuries and going through a divorce, he's averaging 14.2 points. His 14-year streak as an All-Star choice also came to an end.

He missed much of the 2006-07 season with a knee injury and finished that year with career-lows in games (40), scoring (17.3 points), rebounds (7.4), minutes (28.4) and free-throw percentage (.422).

Phoenix gambled he will be healthy and more motivated when he moves to the desert.

For the three-plus seasons since Steve Nash joined the Suns, the clubs have been a favourite of NBA fans weary of the slow style that has prevailed for years. But the Suns have fallen short in the playoffs, never making it to the finals.

Marion, weary of being third fiddle to Nash and Amare Stoudemire, asked to be traded before the season began.