Steve Nash: Would Star Point Guard Consider Joining the Toronto Raptors?

It seems that Steve Nash will test the free-agent waters this summer. 

Yesterday, On the Dan Patrick Show, Nash said the following:

"

It's going to be interesting this summer, being a free agent. I didn't really want to leave at the deadline. I felt I owed it to my teammates and the Suns organization and the fans. I could possibly be back for sure, but that will be more interesting than the trade deadline.... I definitely do want to win. I mean I'm not going to come back to the Suns if there isn't, you know, an improvement. If they're not ambitious and not looking to upgrade the roster seriously. And I think they are. I think they'll have a lot of flexibility in free agency in all.... But I do want to win and I do want to consider all my options, so it will be interesting to see what happens the summer.

"

Nash basically threw out a "give me a reason to stay" message. As the point guard notes, the Suns will have some cap room to work with in the offseason.

But, they own a middling pick in the upcoming selection draft and do not scream "contender" to stars around the league. Attracting a top-tier player in his prime to play with Nash for a year or two may be difficult to swing.

If the Suns fail to bring in a complementary piece and Nash does decide to look for a new home, could it be in Toronto?

It is unlikely Nash will score a max deal at age 38, but the Raptors have the cap space to sign Nash at a very competitive price. Moreover, Toronto is the lone market in the All-Star's native Canada, which certainly doesn't hurt.

Beyond the money and hometown advantage, Toronto possesses what looks to be a high lottery pick in the upcoming draft as well as a bevy of solid young talent and an elite scorer in Andrea Bargnani.

To think that the team would compete for a championship with the addition of Steve Nash, an impact draft pick, the arrival of Jonas Valanciunas and the returns a Jose Calderon trade could yield is not unreasonable.

On the other hand, it may be difficult to convince a player in the last years of his career that Toronto is a place where he can finally secure that elusive ring.

For all the upside the team has, rarely do we see from-cellar-to-throne stories materialize as quickly as we might like.

So what say you? Realistic possibility or pipe dream?