Why Steve Nash Should Avoid Toronto Raptors and Sign with a Contender

Steve Nash’s legacy is at stake.

The eight-time All-Star and two-time MVP is a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but if the 38-year-old retired today, he’d forever be trapped in the best-to-never-win-it-all list. Nash must sign with a contender because he’s still a championship caliber competitor that deserves a ring.

Marc Stein of ESPN reported that the Toronto Raptors have offered Nash a three-year contract worth $36 million. That’s a ton of money for a player as old as Nash to be offered, but he must resist the green in pursuit of the gold. Toronto wouldn’t provide him with an opportunity to win a title and that’s what Nash must be dead-set on accomplishing.

Lazeric Jones of SLAM reported that Nash wants a ring but isn’t desperate for one. He said:

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I would love to win a championship, yes, but I’m not one of those people who believe I must win one to have a fulfilling career, so other factors, such as salary, family, playing time, and opportunity for team success all factor in.

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Attempting to hop onto the 2013 NBA champions’ roster is easier said than done. 

Occasionally, an accomplished veteran will put a team over the top, and other times, they won’t. Gary Payton is a perfect example of that.

The Glove—a nine-time All-Star and former Defensive Player of the Year—signed on with the Los Angeles Lakers during the Shaq & Kobe era in hopes of finally winning the ring that had eluded him throughout his prestigious career (thanks to Michael Jordan).

Despite forming the greatest team on paper in NBA history, LA was shocked by the Detroit Pistons in the NBA Finals. Payton’s decision didn’t pay off, but a couple years later, he won one with the Miami Heat by doing the exact same thing—it’s hit or miss.

That doesn’t mean Nash should say, “Screw it,” and just sign with the Raptors, because the odds that he picks next year's NBA champions are slim.

No, he should roll the dice on a franchise that not only provides him with an acceptable salary, playing time and quality situation for his family, but with a realistic shot at a title as well.

If he fails to do so, fans will forever look back on Nash’s career and ask, “What if?”

David Daniels is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report and a syndicated writer.

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