Vince Carter and the New Phoenix Suns: Do They Signal Steve Nash's Departure?
As most people know by now, the Phoenix Suns completed a blockbuster trade over the weekend with the Orlando Magic.
This deal shipped off the leading Suns scorer, Jason Richardson, along with Hedo Turkoglu and Earl Clark.
In exchange, the Suns received Vince Carter, Marcin Gortat and Mickael Pietrus.
Coupled with the departure of Amare Stoudemire to the New York Knicks this past summer, the Phoenix Suns now have a drastically different look to the team than the roster that took the Los Angeles Lakers to six games in the 2010 Western Conference Finals.
But one of the biggest questions looming surrounds the fate of franchise player Steve Nash. He is now in his seventh season in his second stint with the Suns.
While Nash has historically been quite loyal to the franchises he has played for, is it possible that he may now want to leave the Phoenix Suns?
This article will examine the impact of Steve Nash’s new teammates and how the changing face of the Suns organization might affect his attitude about leaving.
Vince Carter’s Impact with the Suns
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Vince Carter may be averaging a career low at 15.1 ppg, but his .470 field goal percentage is a career high.
One thing the Phoenix Suns know how to do is play well on the offensive end. The Suns rank first in points scored, third in field goal percentage and eighth in assists.
Coach Alvin Gentry’s system is excellent at getting players open three-point looks at the basket.
Throughout his career, Carter has shot .375 from behind the arc. In addition, he shot greater than 40 percent over three seasons.
While Carter at age 33 may have lost a step or two, all indications point to him having a rejuvenated career in Phoenix. With the up-tempo offense and wide open looks he will receive, expect both Carter’s scoring average and three-point shooting clip to increase.
Marcin Gortat’s Impact with the Suns
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Without a doubt, the weakest position on the Suns roster before the trade was at center. While the Suns’ offense ranks near the top of the NBA, the team’s defense is another story.
The team ranks 26thin rebounds, 29th in points allowed and 30th in opponent field goal percentage.
Marcin Gortat has never played a lot of minutes as the backup to superstar Dwight Howard. However, when he has played, Gortat has been highly effective.
Compared to Robin Lopez and Channing Frye, Gortat will be a major upgrade. Among these centers, Gortat is easily the best rebounder and interior defender. In addition, he knows how to get good looks at high percentage shots near the basket.
Given enough minutes, he should be able to put up nearly a double-double in points and rebounds, while adding a couple of blocks per game.
With Gortat in the middle, opposing players may think twice about driving to the basket. And that in itself is an improvement on the defensive end.
Mickael Pietrus’ Impact with the Suns
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Mickael Pietrus may end up being a highly important player on the Suns’ roster.
With the Orlando Magic, Pietrus was averaging just 6.7 ppg. Yet, he was also shooting .391 of his three-pointers.
Like Vince Carter, Pietrus should be able to continue to make a high percentage of outside shots with all of the open looks in the Phoenix offense.
But his greatest asset is his perimeter defense. Phoenix now has (along with Grant Hill) another capable defender to throw at the top perimeter scorers of the league, such as Kevin Durant, Dwyane Wade and Kobe Bryant.
Combined with fellow newcomer Gortat, Mikael Pietrus should be able to help the Phoenix Suns improve on defense.
The Value of Steve Nash
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Steve Nash is in his 15th season in the NBA and in February he will be turning 37 years of age. By the time most players are in their 15th season, their level of play usually declines significantly.
However, Nash is having one of his best seasons with averages of 17.6 ppg and 10.2 apg while shooting 52 percent.
Few players have ever been able to run an offense as efficiently as Steve Nash can. Like Magic Johnson, he has proven to be one of the best all-time at making teammates better.
In fact, I have the two-time MVP winner as one of the top 10 point guards of all-time.
As one of the all-time greats that still can produce at a high level, there are many teams that would love to have Steve Nash’s services.
The Future of the Suns with Steve Nash
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If Steve Nash plays out the rest of his career with the Phoenix Suns, it is possible that the team can play better than the .500 ball the club has played so far this season.
The additions of Carter, Gortat and Pietrus should help the Suns improve on the defensive end. As many NBA analysts say, defense wins championships.
However, the Suns are not going to turn into one of the best defensive teams overnight. Coach Alvin Gentry has never been known to be a top defensive-minded coach.
In addition, it would be unrealistic that the Suns can overcome the current powerhouses around the league including the San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers, Utah Jazz, Boston Celtics, Orlando Magic and Miami Heat.
Clearly, the best the Suns can hope for is winning a round or two in the playoffs with this current team.
The Future of the Suns Without Steve Nash
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If the Phoenix Suns decide to trade Steve Nash, the team could potentially trade for some younger talent to build around.
In addition, the Suns could also pick up some first-round draft picks—something the team is desperately in need of after trading away many picks in recent years.
With smart team management, the Suns could become a contender within a couple of years.
One can look at the Oklahoma City Thunder as a model example when it comes to team management. Through smart draft picks, that team is now perhaps one good big man away from being a perennial contender.
In short, trading away Steve Nash could definitely lead to a brighter future for the Suns.
What’s Truly Going Through Steve Nash’s Mind
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No one besides Steve Nash truly knows what is going through his mind.
But if one were to guess, one might think that Nash is thinking about the trade his team just made. He is probably pondering whether the new players will help make the Suns a better team.
However, I also figure that down deep Nash must understand that his Phoenix Suns are not going anywhere in the next few years. At best, one can only realistically expect the team to win a few playoff series.
Steve Nash probably also realizes that he only has a few good years left in the NBA. No matter what he says in public, one would be foolish to think he doesn’t want to win an NBA championship to cap off his highly successful career.
Conclusion
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Although no one outside of the Phoenix Suns organization knows if Steve Nash will be traded, one can easily see that such a move could be a win-win situation.
For Nash, this could become a great opportunity to win that coveted title. To set up Nash with such a scenario would be the ultimate sign of appreciation by the Suns, thanking him for everything he has done for the organization.
A trade could also be beneficial for the Phoenix Suns since it could lead to the team becoming a contender, as was outlined earlier.
Of course, a trade has its risks. Even with smart team management, players can get injured or underperform.
But in a world full of uncertainties, shouldn’t the Suns organization go with the option that makes the most sense?
It is time for Phoenix to move on and try to setup that win-win scenario.
