NBA Trade Rumors: Phoenix Suns in a Lose-Lose Position with Steve Nash

At 37 going on 38, the odds of Steve Nash winning an NBA championship before his career is over are fading.

One thing we know for sure is that Nash isn't going to win a title with the Phoenix Suns this season. As great as he is, there's only so much he can do with the talent (or lack thereof) around him.

Since Nash is set to become a free agent at the end of the season, the oft-made suggestion is that the Suns should trade him while they still can. They are in no hurry to do so, and there's a certain theory going around among NBA general managers as to why the Suns are in no such hurry.

Via ESPN.com's Marc Stein, here is that theory:

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According to one theory circulating in GM circles, Phoenix favors keeping Nash for the entire season at least partly because it knows it can't possibly get multiple difference-making assets for him now, having held onto the league's fifth-oldest player for so long instead of moving him sooner. And if Nash elects to walk away in July, deciding it's finally time to put himself first after resisting any urges to force his way out like we expect NBA stars to do when rings are out of reach, [Suns owner Robert] Sarver will be able to say that he tried his hardest to hang onto No. 13 and just couldn't stop him.

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In so many words, Nash's value is not what it once was. The Suns could get a valuable asset or two for him, but they're not going to get any offers that are going to blow them away.

Because the Suns need to rebuild, it is exactly one of those offers that they need to get for Nash. Since one of those is not going to be forthcoming, they may as well keep him and tough it out.

To put it harshly, if the Suns are going to suck, they may as well suck with Nash. At the very least, he puts people in seats.

Nash could make the Suns' job easier for them by demanding a trade, but he told Stein he's not about to do that.

"One, it's not my style," said Nash. "Maybe I'm old school, but I feel like that's not my place to give up on my team, give up on my teammates. I signed a contract and made a commitment..

He added: "It's got to be a situation that works for two teams. And I don't know how simple that is. But before we even get to that part of it, I just feel that I owe it to my teammates to stay committed to them. I feel that I owe it to the fans and the organization to fight."

Nash is right. In a day and age where superstars are trying to team up with their buddies to chase rings, he's definitely old school.

The kicker is that Nash's time with the Suns is limited no matter what. He's not going to be back after this season, as it would cost too much money to keep him and the Suns need to move forward. If the Suns aren't going to trade him, the rest of the regular season will be a long, slow crawl toward the inevitable end of a great partnership.

That's a bummer for both sides. There's no better way to put it.

When Nash does leave (it doesn't appear to be a matter of if right now), the Suns are going to enter a pretty tough rebuilding phase. Their roster is perilously devoid of young talent, and it will take a few years and a few lottery picks to solve the problem. 

That, too, is a bummer.

All you can do is shake your head. It's not a fun situation, but it is what it is.

The only way it's changing is if Nash walks up to the front office and puts his foot down.

Yeah, right.