Phoenix Suns: Will You Please Trade Steve Nash Already

You’ll never see Steve Nash pull a Dwight Howard.

Nash will never tell his team he wants to be traded and give them a list of preferred destinations. Steve Nash has too much respect to be remembered as the guy who forced his way out of town when things got tough.

Even at 38-years-old, Steve Nash is having a tremendous season. He leads the NBA in assists, averaging just over 10 per game, and is third in field goal percentage. The 15-year veteran is converting 57 percent of his shots.

It’s sad to see such an unselfish and dedicated player waste the last years of his career playing for such a bad team. If the Suns lost Nash they would be battling the Bobcats for the league’s worst record. Their second- and third-best players are Marcin Gortat and Grant Hill, who by the way is fast approaching 40 years old.

You would think the Suns, who have to know they are years away from competing in the Western Conference, would show respect and try to trade the man who has done so much for their organization. It would benefit both parties: it would allow the Suns to either grab a few draft picks or stock up on young talent, and it would give Nash one last chance to win a title.

The organization has screwed Nash over so many times with their horrendous player personnel moves over the past decade. They let star players such as Joe Johnson, Shawn Marion and Amare Stoudemire walk away without receiving any value in return.

All three of these players fit perfectly into Nash’s run-and-gun style of play, and the players they have signed to replace them have been mediocre at best.  

Johnson was a perfect complement to Nash because of his elite catch-and-shoot ability.

Marion, a key member for the Mavericks during last year’s championship run, was traded for a past-his-prime Shaquille O’Neal who slowed down the Suns high-powered offensive attack.

Amare Stoudemire was a great pick and role player with elite athleticism who played very well with Nash over their time together.

The Suns organization knows that Nash will never force his way out of town, and it seems like they are taking advantage of his commitment. Nash is the reason fans are still showing up for games, and the team realizes that without Nash their fan support will take a major hit.

The Minnesota Timberwolves found themselves in a similar situation with star forward Kevin Garnett five seasons ago. Garnett did not want to disrupt the franchise by asking for a trade even though the team was struggling.

Garnett had accomplished and done so much for the organization. Knowing this, the team reached a deal with the Celtics that brought them a flurry of young players and would give Garnett a chance to win a championship.

There are numerous playoff teams that would be interested in acquiring Nash. Teams struggling at the point guard position—such as the Lakers, the Heat or the Mavericks—could use Nash to put them over the top.

The Suns need to pay respect to the player who has led their franchise for almost a decade and give him the opportunity to make one last championship run. If they don’t, Nash’s career will forever be without the one thing it’s missing: a championship ring.