NBA Trade Rumors: Why Steve Nash Must Leave the Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns currently sit at 14-20, and are out of the playoff picture. Yet they were represented at the All-Star Game on Sunday.
That's because they still have one of the best players in basketball in Steve Nash.
Nash is not the pure scorer that he was in his prime, but Nash is still leading the NBA in assists per game with 11, and he currently is the only guard in the league in the top ten in field goal percentage. Nash is shooting at 54 percent to go along with shooting 40 percent from three-point range.
Nash is playing some of the best basketball of his career, but it's being wasted in mediocrity. It seems like yesterday Nash and the Suns were on the doorstep of the NBA Finals. Boy, how times have changed.
Phoenix would listen to offers for Nash, but his loyalty to finish what he has started is keeping him from asking for a trade. Nash shouldn't wait until this summer to leave the Suns, he should do it now and set himself up to finish one of his best seasons ever in the playoffs.
This report by Marc Stein of ESPN mentions that Suns owner Robert Sarver is prepared to do everything that he can to keep Nash in the desert. Why would Nash want to resign with Phoenix? The Suns' title window closed for the next six or seven years as soon as Amar'e Stoudemire decided to take his talents to the Big Apple.
Yes, Marcin Gortat is the centerpiece, a potential All-Star center, but what about the rest of this roster? Josh Childress was one of the worst free-agent signings in the last three years. Robin Lopez has become a draft bust. Channing Frye and Jared Dudley are seventh and eighth men on championship teams.
It's not like Phoenix is an attractive destination for free agents like it was when Mike D'Antoni was running the fun-and-gun.
There are three teams in the hunt for Nash before the trade deadline. Dallas is said to be willing to offer Lamar Odom. From a Suns perspective you can't do this deal. Yes, Odom has an expiring contract, and that would help the Suns. They could send Odom, who seemingly just wants to take the year off, away. However they need more from Dallas to do the deal.
A few years ago, Rodrigue Beaubois would have been a hot name, but his stock has dropped considerably. For Nash, it would give him a chance to win a ring with his best friend, Dirk Nowitzki, his running mate in Phoenix, Shawn Marion, and his mentor early in his career, Jason Kidd.
However, Nash knows this feel good story would only be temporary because Mark Cuban covets the opportunity to sign Deron Williams to be the Mavs' next great point guard.
Portland would like to acquire Nash, and are basing their package around Nicolas Batum, According to reports. Raymond Felton has not worked out so well in Portland, so their interest is no surprise.
Nash would make the Trail Blazers a threat in the playoffs. LaMarcus Aldridge and Gerald Wallace would have more room to operate due to Nash's three-point ability and Batum would be intriguing for Phoenix.
Batum may not become an All-Star, which should make Phoenix reluctant to do the deal. They should get at least one player with All-Star potential. But Nash should consider Portland. They would offer Nash a team similar to his glory days in Phoenix.
Aldridge would be a less explosive version of Amar'e, but a better shooter. Gerald Wallace would represent Shawn Marion, an undersized bulldog in the post who produces without really having plays called for him. Jamal Crawford would play the role of Jason Richardson, knocking down threes all over the court.
Dwight Howard has let Orlando brass know that he would like them to pursue Steve Nash. In fact, sources say that Howard would consider staying with Orlando for one more season if they could get Nash and resign him during the summer.
Orlando would offer Jameer Nelson and Phoenix would ask for Ryan Anderson or J.J. Reddick. The Magic and Suns have done big deals before, so this one can't be totally dismissed. Even with Nash, I don't think Orlando has enough to win a title. Jason Richardson and Hedo Turkoglu are not a good enough supporting cast to get it done. Also, Nash will struggle to guard Derrick Rose over a seven-game series.
OK yeah, who wouldn't? But seriously Nash is probably best served staying in the West, where Oklahoma City is the top team, but they can be taken down. In the East, Chicago and Miami are going to reign for the near future.
All of these different scenarios feature one thing in common: They all have Nash playing in the playoffs, which is something that he will not be doing if he stays in Phoenix. Nash should leave the Suns and continue his quest to win a title before he really enters the decline phase of his Hall of Fame career.
