5 Reasons the Phoenix Suns Will Not Move Steve Nash

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There have been trade rumors about the possible trading of two-time MVP Steve Nash for over two years now but still Nash remains a Phoenix Sun. Many think the Suns need to rebuild and the first step would be trading away their star point guard. Nash is 37 but is still one of the most efficient point guards in the league. He is always near the top in assists and is the definition of a pure point guard.

Nash is the face of the franchise and could bring in a nice haul if traded after the lockout is lifted, but I think the Suns are better off keeping him. Read on for five reasons why the Suns should ignore the rumors and keep Nash until he retires.

5. Nash Is Loved by the Community and Puts Fans in the Seats

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Nash was initially drafted with the 15th pick in the 1996 draft to the Phoenix Suns. He was traded to the Dallas Mavericks and he signed back with the team in 2004. He brought excitement back to Phoenix and the 2004-05 Suns were one of the best teams in franchise history. After that season, fans were flocking in to see Steve Nash play, and he became the most popular athlete in Arizona. Even when the team has missed the playoffs, like last season, fans still came to the games because Nash was still around.

If Nash was traded away, management would have some explaining to do to the fans. This puts more pressure on management to wait for an overwhelming package for Nash or else there will be disappointment from fans. Fans are very important to the franchise, and management would be foolish to trade a fan favorite and future Hall of Famer for a small return.

4. He Doesn't Want to Leave

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Steve Nash has repeatedly said he does not want to leave Phoenix and will honor his contract with the team through the 2011-2012 season (if there is a season). He has always loved the city and the fans, and he has been very successful as a Sun. He has never once requested a trade or complained about roster moves and has been one of the few staples in the organization. He even re-signed with the team after a down 2009 season, in which they missed the playoffs.

Nash is a very loyal person and he has given all he has to the organization. He's a future Hall of Famer and he puts people in the seats. Plus, he doesn't want to leave.

3. The Offense Was Built Around Nash

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When Mike D'Antoni made the Suns the run-and-gun team they are now, Nash was the main cog of that offense. It was tailor made for Nash to be the most successful point guard and I doubt anyone else could have run it as well as Nash has over the years. As long as Nash has had weapons to pass to, the team has been successful, and even when he had fewer weapons, he still has assists averages above double digits.

He is the perfect player for the offense and the defense suits him as well. Nash has never had to be a defensive stopper, and the Suns are one of the few teams where that would be acceptable. As long as the Suns are a run-and-gun team, Steve is the best option at point guard.

2. He Still Produces at a Very High Level

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Last season, Nash averaged 14.7 points, 11.4 assists, 3.4 rebounds, 49 percent from the field, 40 percent from three and 91 percent from the free-throw line. This would be a good stat line for any point guard, let alone a 37-year-old. Nash has been producing like this, and even better, for a long time. He is the only player in NBA history to have more than two seasons in which he has 50 percent shooting from the field, 40 percent from beyond the arc and 90 percent from the free-throw line (Nash has had four such seasons).

Nash has led the league in assists five times in his career and has had double digit assist averages for a season six different times. Statistically, he has been one of the top two or three point guards over the last six years, and he doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon.

1. It Would Be Very Difficult to Get Equal Value for Nash

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How do you replace the impact he has on the game? The only point guard who produces anything close to what Nash does is Chris Paul, and I hardly doubt the Hornets would trade Paul to the Suns for Nash. Plus, that is only from a statistical standpoint; Nash does so much more off the stat sheet. He is the unquestioned leader of the team and it would be almost impossible to have a replacement for that. It would have to be a younger version of Nash, and I can't think of any young point guard who can fit the bill.

That being said, it would be extremely difficult to get equal value for a player of his meaning. They would either have to trade for a player similar to Nash or change the offense to better suit the new point guard.