Why Steve Nash Would Be Crazy to Sign with New York Knicks

It's more than evident that Steve Nash is considering signing with the New York Knicks this offseason (via ESPN):

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"The Knicks are a great franchise and I live in New York City (each summer), so I'd definitely consider them if they were interested,"

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The Knicks would be absolutely foolish to not pursue Nash, based on that information; but on the contrary, Nash needs to do the opposite of what he says and stay away from the Knicks at all costs.

The first reason is because the Knicks aren't the championship-caliber team that Nash is looking for.

While Nash is a two-time MVP and an eight-time NBA All-Star, he doesn't bring enough to the Knicks to help them get over their lack of chemistry quick enough to get past teams like the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference.

Even with Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire, Nash won't be able to magically help them play together—which is ultimately the biggest obstacle standing in the way of becoming an elite team in the East.

If Nash wants to win a championship before his days in the NBA are over, New York isn't a place where he can do it. In addition, the Knicks can't offer nearly as much as other teams can—and Nash should take that into account.

It's clear that Nash wants to get compensated for his skills—and rightfully so. In an interview with Marc Berman of the New York Post, Nash had this to say about his desire to get paid adequately for the time to come.

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"I definitely feel I want to be validated monetarily to an extent. It’s still very important. I think money in many ways represents respect."

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If a big contract is Nash's focus, then signing with the Knicks for the $5 million mid-level exception certainly isn't' going to cut it. To put that into perspective, the Suns reportedly offered a two-year $20 million deal, which would be double what the Knicks could offer.

In addition to the Suns, teams like the Portland Trail Blazers, Toronto Raptors, Brooklyn Nets and Dallas Mavericks all could offer much more than the Knicks could; and while those teams certainly wouldn't be championship-caliber, he'd still be getting compensated fairly for his skills.

With all that being said, the Knicks need to be at the very bottom of Nash's list of teams he'd be interested in playing for.

If money is his biggest concern, he should look to stay with the Suns or hope that a team like the Portland Trail Blazers or Dallas Mavericks offer him a multi-year, $20 million deal.

If winning a championship is his primary focus, then signing with a team like the Miami Heat for a mid-level exception is a much better option than signing with the Knicks.

Signing with the Knicks this offseason would prove only one thing: Nash is absolutely insane.