NBA Rumors: Phoenix Suns Would Be Wise to Move Steve Nash Now

All good things must come to an end. In the case of Steve Nash, even the mediocre trials must come to pass as well. 

The Suns are average, and the front office has to decide if they want to wade in the waters of mediocrity or start looking to the future. 

Either way, Nash shouldn't figure into any of it. As ESPN's Nick Borges reports, Nash may be on his way out anyway. This is what Borges has to say (the link may be hidden for non-Insider subscribers):

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Many believe Nash is destined to sign with the Knicks since he lives in New York during the offseason. It does make since for the Suns to deal him by the March 15 deadline because they'll get nothing if he leaves in the summer via free agency.

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It is that thinking that caused The Arizona Republic columnist Dan Bickley to jump on the move-Nash-now bandwagon.

After establishing that a bad Suns team can only hope to get mediocre, Bickley gives the only real path for the Suns rising once again:

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Marquee free agents won't be coming to Phoenix any time soon. The only way to spawn another contending team is through luck of the draft. And the only foreseeable reward for this awful season in progress is a place inside the NBA lottery, where the right number of ping pong balls could lead the Suns to their next franchise player.

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Doug Smith of The Star writes that an aged Nash is still very much in demand:

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Nash, who will be in incredible demand as the NBA trade deadline approaches, coveted by teams that see him playing still at an all-star level and the Suns could probably obtain a significant package of young players and draft picks for the 6-3 point guard. He still leads the league with assists per game at 10.4 prior to Wednesday night’s games.

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The problem for the Suns isn't that Nash is floundering or that they can't move him to save their lives—it's that Nash is a model citizen. These kinds of players are one in a million.

With the Suns 6-11 and on a two-game skid, this is when most players would be leaking rumors through some publicist or caught moping on the bench, but not Nash. 

The gifted assist machine is just as loyal off the court. Nash may like New York and may very well end up there when all this is done, but the Suns are his home. That is the mentality of a loyal basketball player. 

The Phoenix front office has to play bad guy, because Nash simply will not. 

They gave it a shot with Nash at the the helm and had some terrific years where the NBA Finals were within their grasp. Sometimes the dice just don't fall the way you want. It's clear now, more than ever, that the Suns will not win a title with their famed point guard.

So, it's time to use his immense talents and the gas he still has in the tank to bring back the youth that may one day compete for the elusive championship. 

The trade deadline looms closer. It's time to stop thinking of it as Armageddon and as an opportunity to guarantee the future isn't a dark one. 

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