NBA Free Agency 2012: 8 Teams That Desperately Need Steve Nash

The 2012 NBA season has come to its conclusion. The Miami Heat have been crowned champions and a class of free agents have been freed from their previous contracts.

Time for free agency.

One of the most sought-after free agents available is 38-year-old point guard Steve Nash. The two-time MVP and future Hall of Famer is coming off a season in which he averaged 10.7 assists, good for second in the NBA. In other words, the old man has still got it.

While some might view a player of Nash's age as a risk to sign, there are actually more than a handful of teams who are in need of the former Phoenix Suns' services. As for who they are, the following slides will reveal just that.

8. Brooklyn Nets

The Brooklyn Nets are in legitimate danger of losing their franchise point guard and greatest marketing asset: Deron Williams. To overcome the potential loss of D-Will, signing the man they call Nasty may just be the next best option.

Steve Nash is accustomed with taking talentless teams to a respectable level. With so much cap space, however, the talent may arrive and put Nash in a position to finally win a title. It would also put the Nets in a position in which a marketable face is on the roster.

After all, the business aspect of basketball is just as important to a front office.

7. Indiana Pacers

In 2012, the Indiana Pacers made noise by finishing third in the Eastern Conference and coming within two games of upsetting the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. They achieved such a thing with smothering defense and tenacity.

Unfortunately, watching them execute on offense was one of the most painful things you'll ever witness.

The clear cure-all for these offensive woes would be to bring in a facilitator who can offer a direction on the offensive end—something the Pacers currently lack. The best player to do so might be Deron Williams, but realistically speaking, Steve Nash might be the more likely signing.

Nash would make the Pacers a much more legitimate contender for the title, so much so that they may actually be able to pull off an upset of the Miami Heat this time around.

6. Utah Jazz

The Utah Jazz have, arguably, the best front-court in the NBA. With Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap and Derrick Favors receiving big minutes and producing big numbers. They also have a young center in Enes Kanter who could end up being a valuable asset or trade piece.

They just don't have a point guard to bring it all together.

While Utah may not be a popular name in the pursuit of Steve Nash, it should be. Whether the Jazz have to orchestrate a sign-and-trade or simply find a way to shuffle the funds and bring him in naturally, Nash would take the Western Conference's eighth seed into legitimate contention.

5. Los Angeles Lakers

Can the Los Angeles Lakers afford Steve Nash? No. Do the Los Angeles Lakers need his services to cure their point guard woes? Without a shadow of a doubt.

Kobe Bryant is no longer athletic or young enough to carry the burden of lead facilitator. Instead, he needs to be able to work off the ball and create open looks for himself, thus enabling the Lakers to spread the floor and create more low-post opportunities for Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum.

If anyone is capable of filling that roll and offering more than the Lakers expected, it's one of their greatest rivals: Steve Nash.

Whether the Lakers would like to admit it or not...

4. Chicago Bulls

In case you haven't heard, Derrick Rose is out for 8-to-12 months upon completion of successful surgery on his left ACL. Due to the fact that his surgery took place on May 16th, 2012, Rose is set to return any time between January 16th, 2013 and May 16th, 2013.

In other words, Rose will either miss the majority of the regular season or the entirety of the regular season. Time to find a replacement to keep the Bulls in contention.

While Steve Nash may not offer the defensive prowess or athleticism of D-Rose, he's been the best facilitator in the game for the better part of this half-decade. While Rajon Rondo may have overtaken Nash in that department, the two-time MVP remains one of the best.

So much so that he led a talent-depleted Phoenix Suns team to within two games of the postseason in 2012. Imagine what he could do with the Bulls.

3. New York Knicks

The New York Knicks are one of the most talented teams in the NBA, pairing elite scorers Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire with reigning Defensive Player of the Year Tyson Chandler. They also have one of the fastest rising stars in the NBA, Jeremy Lin, and the league's best three-point shooter, Steve Novak.

Unfortunately, both Lin and Novak are free agents. They also can't solve the team chemistry issues or claim to have a history of postseason success.

Steve Nash, meanwhile, has made three conference finals appearances—all of which coming on a Phoenix Suns team that Amar'e Stoudemire was a part of. Bringing Nash to town is a need for a team whose window of opportunity is small and only true advantage on offense may be found at the point.

Nash could bring the Knicks the title they've been waiting for since 1973.

2. Portland Trail Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers may just be the most underachieving team of the past decade. Despite possessing a surplus of talent, including power forward LaMarcus Aldridge and, at one point, shooting guard Brandon Roy. At this point, however, it's down to Aldridge and a handful of young players in need of development.

Who better to bring the team over the hump than one of the greatest pick-and-roll artists of all time?

Nash and Aldridge would instantly form one of the best 1-4 combinations in the NBA; something that would bare a close resemblance to what Nash and Amar'e Stoudemire were once able to achieve. Due to this fact, there should be no hesitation in Portland's pursuit of the Canadian star.

Good thing they are.

1. Toronto Raptors

Statistically speaking, there isn't much of a difference between Steve Nash and Jose Calderon—two of the game's elite facilitators. The fact of the matter is, greatness is not decided by statistics; there are no numbers to measure the intangibles.

Steve Nash will tally a great deal of assists, but the most important aspect of his game is his leadership. Nash has always made the players around him better, which is exactly what Toronto needs to bring along young stars DeMar DeRozan and Jonas Valanciunas.

Bringing the best out of Andrea Bargnani and James Johnson doesn't sound too bad either, now does it?

Without Steve Nash, the Toronto Raptors are a team whose defense is smothering but offensive production tamed at best. With Nash, the Raptors are a well-rounded, well-oiled machine whose offense is just as lethal as their D.

From Amar'e Stoudemire to Marcin Gortat, Nash has made big men great. From Dallas to Phoenix, Nash has made solid teams legitimate contenders.

In Toronto, imagine the possibilities with Nash, Bargnani and Jonas Valanciunas at the heart of the attack.