If we're to believe the Big Buzz ... he's the biggest and most expensive package of damaged goods ever on the NBA trade market and on the verge of being dealt.

He is Shaquille O'Neal, and if it's true that the Phoenix Suns are ready and willing to acquire the fading Miami Heat center in exchange for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks, the Western Conference race just got infinitely more interesting despite the physical problems of the 7-1 O'Neal, who turns 36 next month.

Superficially, it will be a big relief for Heat superstar guard Dwyane Wade to get Marion for help as opposed to the terminally injured O'Neal - and Banks will help their sad point guard situation some. But the story here is about how O'Neal - The Big Question Mark - has any trade value at all as the Feb. 21 trade deadline comes upon us.

Sure, the Suns figure to have a rapidly closing window with the aging of point guard Steve Nash and Grant Hill, plus O'Neal would allow Amare Stoudemire to match up at his more natural power forward position. The move would also presumably allow the Suns to play both their natural speed game and in the halfcourt against the likes of the Spurs, Jazz, Nuggets and Rockets among others in the West.

Then again, that's assuming a lot ... such as whether or not O'Neal can actually fit through the window; and just what could the criteria be for him to pass his physical - considering the hip, knee and ankle problems that have manifested over the years.

So before we get too carried away with this, let's get realistic for a moment about the Big Fella. He has missed 14 games for the woebegone 9-37 Heat and coach Pat Riley this season and averaged less than 50 games over the previous two seasons.

His 325-pound plus body is suffering the consequences of his 16-year career with hip, knee and ankle problems that have rendered him just a shadow of his former self - although it is that very large shadow that still makes him attractive to the Suns to take a big rip at the wide open 2008 title. Obviously the feeling is if they can prop him up for minor minutes until late in the season, he could be the deciding factor in the playoffs.

Although he has missed so many games, and is averaging a career-low 28.5 minutes more because of foul trouble than anything else, O'Neal still is averaging 14.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.66 blocks - all of which pales is comparison to his career averages of 25.6 points, 11.5 rebounds and 2.4 blocks. Nonetheless, just his sheer physical presence is a big factor in every game, and if you put him in the middle of a team like the Suns, they become that much more frightening in the big picture - on paper.

Outside of the Suns, would anybody else have taken a deal for Shaq seriously?

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has always been intrigued by the possibility of adding him to the middle ... how about Devin Harris, Jerry Stackhouse and Erick Dampier for Shaq?

And what about the Nets, so intent on dealing Jason Kidd? Would a package of Kidd, Josh Boone or Sean Williams and Boki Nachbar - with Ricky Davis coming back with O'Neal to make the salaries work, be intriguing to both teams?

LeBron James and the Cavs need something else, but O'Neal certainly isn't it.

The Denver Nuggets, as always, are working the phones hard - but primarily to see if they can get a point guard, such as Kidd or Sam Cassell. They certainly wouldn't be better off gambling on the Big Question Mark than having Marcus Camby, the reigning defensive player of the year and Kenyon Martin, who is remarkably getting closer every day to being all the way back from a second microfracture surgery.

Everyone likes to look at the Chicago Bulls, because they have failed so miserably this season and they have a slew of young players who aren't quite cutting it. If so inclined, they can easily throw Ben Wallace's contract in there with Thabo Sefolosha and either Ben Gordon or Kirk Hinrich. Does that make any sense for the Bulls to get 2