NBA Rumors: Suns Must Avoid Potential Sign-and-Trade of Steve Nash to Lakers

The Phoenix Suns must avoid signing off on any potential sign-and-trade scenarios that send free agent point guard Steve Nash to the Los Angeles Lakers.

TNT's David Aldridge reported on Tuesday night that the Lakers have joined the list of teams in pursuit of the two-time MVP. 

According to Suns beat writer Paul Coro via a Wednesday night tweet, there is hesitation in the front office to make such a deal happen:

"

The Lakers & Nash are interested in a sign-and-trade. Sounds like there's no way Sarver would do that for the #Suns rival.

— Paul Coro (@paulcoro) July 4, 2012"

HoopsWorld NBA reporter Alex Kennedy also chimed in on the prospects of Nash landing in Hollywood:

"

Let's not forget, Steve Nash was recently quoted as saying, "For me, it would be hard to put on a Lakers jersey. That’s just the way it is."

— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) July 4, 2012"

Just like the New York Knicks, the Lakers can only offer Nash the $3.09 million mid-level exception as a free agent, but can pay him more if they execute a sign-and-trade to relieve some of their cap space. 

Regardless of whether LA can pay Nash a respectable amount in 2012-13 and beyond, the Canadian star and the Suns franchise should turn their backs on the Lakers, who have caused them both so much heartache in the playoffs over the years.

Rewind back to May 2010, when the Lakers dismissed the Suns in six hard-fought games in the Western Conference finals. Although Nash would have a great shot at competing for a title in LA alongside Kobe Bryant and the Lakers' two seven-footers, joining the Lake Show would go against everything Nash stands for. 

Nash is a loyal guy; he played out his contract in Phoenix without once demanding a trade or expressing his frustration with the team's constant struggles and ownership's lack of spending. 

Nash has played 10 of his 16 NBA seasons in the desert with the Suns, whose No. 1 rival are the Lakers. If it makes zero sense for Phoenix to sign and trade him to a division rival, it makes just as little sense for Nash to want to go there.

After averaging 12.5 points and 10.7 assists (second-best in the NBA) while shooting a lights-out 53 percent from the field last season at age 38, Nash can likely play anywhere he wants next season, including for contenders like Dallas and New York. 

A move to LA would be going against everything Nash has stood for for so long. Time and time again Nash has said that there are no guarantees considering that only one team can win it all in a given season. 

Even if Nash is deserving of being traded wherever he wants this summer as one of the greatest players in the Suns' franchise history, Phoenix should do everything in its power to prevent No. 13 from assisting its rival in the future. 

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