Steve Nash Trade Scenarios: 10 Plausible Destinations for the Phoenix Suns' Star
Steve Nash has given the Phoenix Suns everything he has. Yet, as the team slowly spins its wheels towards a rebuilding stage, it has become obvious that better destinations may await the future Hall of Fame point guard.
Despite missing the Playoffs (albeit, barely) with a 40-42 record, and despite having to play with Vince Carter, Nash has maintained that he has no desire to leave the desert.
He may genuinely mean that.
Whether seeing his interviews on TV or when sitting down with him myself a time or two during the last decade, I've always been struck by how Nash NEVER throws teammates under the bus. It doesn't matter how horribly a guy has messed up, Steve invariably deflects the blame onto the team overall or simply at himself.
Yet, while Nash might be able to redirect his disappointment in people, he's never been very good at hiding his disdain for losing games or failing to compete.
While he might honestly still feel indebted to the Suns for not only drafting him in 1996, but also re-acquiring him from Dallas when his career chips were down in 2004, will he really keep singing this loyal tune if Phoenix continues to regress?
This past season, the Suns mercifully shipped out Hedo Turkoglu for Vince Carter (whose 2012 contract expiration coincides with Nash's), and then overpaid for a number of their own valuable, but limited-ceiling, role-players. The chances of any of them suddenly playing BETTER than this past season is unlikely.
What if Grant Hill calls it quits or moves on? What if owner Robert Sarver continues to hamstring this team's payroll and flexibility? How much more will Nash take? Is this how he wants his career to end?
In the same way that Steve Nash's loyalty just might compel him to suffer through another season or two of mediocrity in the desert, his ego-less and burning desire to win might cause him to accept a buyout from Phoenix and an extremely small contract from a contender.
Whether it be via trade or signing, if Nash suddenly does change his mind and wants to leave, you can bet the suitors will be lining up at the door.
Here are 10 plausible destinations if Nash rides towards a different sunset.
10. Minnesota Timberwolves
1 of 10
Minnesota gets: Steve Nash (PG) & Channing Frye (F/C)
Phoenix gets: Anthony Randolph (F), Wesley Johnson (G/F), Johnny Flynn (PG) & 2010 #20 Pick.
Before you laugh me out of the building, let me assure you that this is not a "homer" pick (yes, I'm one of five diehard T-Wolves fans on the planet), wishful thinking or my glass of wine talking right now.
I'm as surprised as you are by this possibility, but for whatever reason, I've heard this scenario WAY too much from T-Wolves followers (some of whom are usually somewhat sane) as well as the usual unsubstantiated NBA rumor mill.
Now, Minnesota fans have admittedly been drinking the Kool-Aid for quite awhile now, but the rumor mill version usually goes something like this:
"Maybe Steve Nash wouldn't mind serving as the mentor to Ricky Rubio for a year or two if it becomes obvious that he's coming over and the Wolves somehow land the No. 1 pick in the lottery this year. Plus, then they'd have Nash, Rubio, Michael Beasley, Kevin Love and the shooting guard that they'll undoubtedly draft!"
A plausible swap might see the penny-pinching Suns realize they locked up Channing Frye for a little too long and a little too much, thereby including him with a deal that nets a couple of low-risk, high reward prospects (all three of whom were recent lottery picks) and another First Round selection. They'd move forward with their prospects, Marcin Gortat, their leftover role players and Aaron Brooks at the point.
Yes, Frye could be omitted or additional players/picks could be included by Minnesota, (who do have the cap space to absorb both contracts), but I'm not kidding myself or you here either. While this might make a thimble-full of sense, it would be truly jaw-dropping if Nash were to move from one non-contender to another.
It doesn't matter that the Suns are on the way down while the Wolves just might be on the way up. Nash would have to be drinking a lot of Kool-Aid for this to happen.
Then again, I've got plenty to share.
9. Portland Trail Blazers
2 of 10
Portland gets: Steve Nash (PG) & Robin Lopez (C)
Phoenix gets: Andre Miller (PG) & Nicholas Batum (SF)
The Blazers always seem to do some amazing things, despite fate's conspiracies against them. Injuries have not derailed their ability to make the playoffs, but one still wonders how good they COULD be if things went their way once in awhile.
And so, because the Blazers are still good right now, despite everything they've gone through, this is probably one of the more polarizing options on my list.
Blazer fans, like their organization, largely seem to view Nic Batum as untouchable.
Yet, the fact remains that Andre Miller is not a great fit with this group, even if Brandon Roy's move to a bench role has somewhat alleviated the chemistry concerns. What's more, Portland's heisting of Gerald Wallace from Charlotte somewhat duplicates many of the athletic and defensive abilities that Batum brings to the table.
It's not a question that Wallace is the better player right now, but Portland fans may gasp because of how good they think Batum COULD be.
If I'm the Portland Trail Blazers, I'd recognize that Steve Nash is a better passer than Andre Miller, and that losing Miller's post-up skills would be more than repaid by Nash's ability to stretch the floor.
Pairing Nash with Wes Matthews, Brandon Roy and Rudy Fernandez would give Portland an extremely flexible backcourt that meshes much better with Wallace and LaMarcus Aldridge up front. With a little health and luck, it might be what finally pushes Portland over the top.
To me, that's worth losing Nic Batum, especially if the deal could be made to somehow include Robin Lopez in the process.
From Phoenix' perspective, Andre Miller would only be a one year stopgap to pair with Vince Carter (both would be expiring contracts next year), but acquiring Batum's potential would alleviate the loss of a franchise icon.
I can't rank this scenario any higher though, as it requires both franchises to take a big risk in moving players they really like.
8. Atlanta Hawks
3 of 10
Atlanta gets: Steve Nash (PG)
Phoenix gets: Jamal Crawford (G) & 2012 First Round Pick (Protected)
The Hawks supposedly took care of their point guard situation this year by swapping Mike Bibby to Washington for Kirk Hinrich.
While "Captain Kirk" has been solid for the Hawks, especially on the defensive end, their offense continues to be maddenly isolated at times. They're making some noise in the playoffs right now, but they still seem to be missing the final piece.
Hinrich is a scrappy guy who does a little bit of everything well, but no one has ever mistaken him for a true point guard. He's best suited as a combo guard off the bench, playing near starters' minutes at either backcourt spot, but lining up against the opponent's second-tier guys.
Steve Nash isn't going to command the price that he once did, as he's an increasing age/injury risk with every passing day. Still, this would be an offer too good to pass up for the Hawks, who would get a motor to finally run all those nice parts in their machine.
A three-guard rotation of Nash, Hinrich and Joe Johnson would be one of the most complete in the NBA, not to mention how Nash's passing ability would really create easy baskets for Josh Smith and Al Horford.
It might not last for more than a year, but if Nash turned Joe Johnson into a near All-Star back during their Phoenix days, imagine where they might do together now that Johnson is a much more complete offensive player who's also capable of picking up the defensive slack for Nash
Jamal Crawford is playing out of his mind right now, but with each made three-pointer, he might just be pricing himself out of Atlanta. A sign-and-trade to Phoenix would create a miniscule backcourt with Aaron Brooks, but the Suns would certainly still be able to run and gun, perhaps using Vince Carter at the small forward spot for one more season.
Still, this scenario is rather low on the list. The Hawks COULD be an attractive destination for Nash, but the Suns would really have to be sold on Jamal Crawford's ability to start.
7. Memphis Grizzlies
4 of 10
Memphis gets: Steve Nash (PG) & Robin Lopez (C)
Phoenix gets: Mike Conley (PG), OJ Mayo (G/F) & Ishmael Smith (PG)
It doesn't matter that Steve Nash is going to turn 38 next season; his shooting and ball-handling ability, passing vision and knack for playing angles are not going to diminish with age. He's proven that by continuing to shoot ridiculously high percentages and put up over 10 assists per game throughout his tenure in Phoenix.
However, the older a player gets, (especially guards), the more their athleticism and quickness fades, betraying them noticeably on the defensive end.
At this point during the last season or two of Nash's career, he especially needs to be paired with a lockdown defender and/or a true star in the backcourt: He needs someone to hide the fact that he REALLY can't guard anyone anymore.
The Grizzlies are an interesting fit, as they're clearly capable of making some playoff noise during the next few years. They have the size up front with Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol, plus loads of athleticism and length at the wings.
Still, is Mike Conley the guy to lead them to the next level?
Trading for Steve Nash might narrow the window a little for Memphis, but he certainly would give them a truly legit chance in the short-term. He'd be a nice fit with the Grizzlies' more defensive oriented wings (Tony Allen, Sam Young, Shane Battier, Xavier Henry), not to mention Rudy Gay's ability to finish and shoot via Nash's passes.
Robin Lopez would be a credible backup for Marc Gasol, and would be a relatively painless loss for Phoenix, who seemed to sour on the Stanford man late in the season.
For the Suns, this is one of the better prospective hauls they could get for Nash, especially if he forces their hand to move him. Mike Conley would give them a lot of point guard options, even if they were unable to re-sign Aaron Brooks.
OJ Mayo would get a change of scenery, and Phoenix would have a reason to buy out or trade Vince Carter's expiring contract.
Yet, similar to the previous scenario in Atlanta, the Grizzlies could make a lot of sense, but might not be viewed as legit enough contenders to attract Nash's eye.
6. New York Knicks
5 of 10
Phoenix buys out Steve Nash, who signs with New York for the Mid-level Exception or lower.
This was certainly a popular rumor prior to the Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups trade with Denver. Now, it doesn't make much sense...
Or does it?
Whereas our previous scenarios largely involved trades, it's useful to remember that it wouldn't be inconceivable for Phoenix to simply buy out the remaining year of Nash's contract, should he express a desire to move on and for a reasonable amount.
In some ways, if Nash really is intent on playing with an upper-crust contender, being bought out would give him the most flexibility. Nash's contract is reasonable, but some teams, including the Suns, may have trouble establishing his trade value, due to age. At this point, having made the money that he has, Nash might be more interested in having his pick of the litter, rather than making a few more dollars.
One doesn't have to recap in detail the enormous regular season success that Steve Nash had with both Amar'e Stoudemire and coach Mike D'Antoni while in Phoenix.
Moving to a familiar system, on a bigger stage, with a franchise that's clearly trying to reach the next level, might make the Knicks especially attractive to Steve Nash.
Don't forget that Nash and Chauncey Billups COULD coexist in the backcourt, as Chauncey has played the two-guard multiple times in his career (especially early on). Their play-making and floor stretching ability would be fun to watch; they'd cause as many matchup problems as they themselves would face.
This obviously wouldn't help the Knicks get better defensively, but that's not going to keep them from bringing Nash aboard, if he's interested.
On the other hand, Mike D'Antoni might not even be around within a few weeks, depending on how disappointed the Knicks' organization is with their lackluster First Round showing against the Boston Celtics. Plus, signing Nash still doesn't address the Knicks' lack of bigs or bench, and it might not mean more than a few more points per game and a half dozen wins.
Finally, Steve Nash may look at Stoudemire and D'Antoni, saying, "I've lived this life before", and he may not be convinced that he could garner a Larry O'Brien trophy in New York.
There's better buyout-and-signing scenarios yet to come on this list, but this is still one rumor that's just not going to go away until Nash proves otherwise.
5. Los Angeles Clippers
6 of 10
Los Angeles Clippers get: Steve Nash (PG)
Phoenix gets: Mo Williams (PG) & Al-Farouq Aminu (SF)
This one sends shivers down my spine.
Mo Williams might have been passable after joining the Clippers via a swap for Baron Davis with Cleveland, but he's still not a true facilitator or top-tier point guard.
Like Nic Batum for Portland, the Clippers are pretty high on Al-Farouq Aminu, but here again he's a replaceable commodity if it buys one more magical season from Steve Nash.
Nash's ability to create angles would be flat-out ridiculous with Blake Griffin available for lob passes at every step. What's more, Nash's floor stretching ability would pair equally well with Eric Gordon's underrated defensive prowess and shooting/finishing skills.
The Suns might be more excited if they could somehow acquire Eric Bledsoe or a signed-and-traded DeAndre Jordan in the deal, but that's the beautiful thing about the Clippers right now: they've got a lot of attractive young options to package together.
Are the Clippers enough of a finished product to intrigue the end of Nash's career? That's questionable, but when one considers how many career years Steve Nash has created for OTHER people, the possibilities here become absolutely tantalizing.
4. Miami Heat
7 of 10
Phoenix buys out Steve Nash, who signs with Miami for the veteran minimum.
Mike Bibby and Mario Chalmers are both free agents this offseason, and it will be interesting to see whether either of them are retained by the Heat.
President Pat Riley will certainly work overtime to address Miami's deplorable frontcourt, but the Heat are still just as much in need of a true facilitator who can knock down the wide open three-pointer.
We all know that LeBron James and Dwyane Wade can create shots for themselves, but it's also well established that easy baskets down the stretch save those two for more success in crunch-time.
Should Steve Nash be willing to sacrifice the dollars for a ring, he would be a seismic upgrade at point guard for the Heat: he would be able to take the ball out of Wade and James' hands until they were in position to score. Being able to actually run an offense and finish easy baskets would allow all three of the "Heatles" to concentrate on covering up Nash's defensive deficiencies.
With a trade scenario out of the question, adding another star to this Dream Team is nearly impossible without an enormous amount of sacrifice.
Steve Nash would be leaving more than 90 percent of his current contract on the table in order to join Miami's title quest. This type of sacrifice could add yet another level of motivation to the Heat's core, or it could go the route of Gary Payton and Karl Malone's sad "L.A. Story", circa 2004.
3. Boston Celtics
8 of 10
Phoenix buys out Steve Nash, who signs with Boston for the veteran minimum.
Boston is certainly going to have a busy offseason this year. They have eight players whose contracts will expire, including key bench contributors like Glen Davis, Jeff Green, Nenad Kristic and Delonte West.
Regardless of how this current title run goes, the Celtics are unlikely to blow things up just yet. Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett are both under contract for one more year, and that marks the true watershed moment for this current squad.
Instead, Boston will reload their bench for one last go-round, though they'll undoubtedly try hard to retain Davis and Green especially.
The Celtics have been searching for a credible backup to Rajon Rondo ever since they put this team together. Sam Cassell, Stephon Marbury, Nate Robinson and Delonte West have all taken their turns in worrisome fashion.
Should Steve Nash choose to join the veteran queue that's perpetually feeding this franchise, he would become the most overqualified Celtics' backup since Bill Walton. He'd provide their offense with a completely different offensive dimension than Rondo does, while still offering just as much distribution and gutsy play.
The group sacrifice and win-all mentality would have to speak to Steve Nash in the same way it's lured the Big Three, The O'Neals and every other former All-Star who's yet to join this geriatric crusade.
Nash would be leaving a lot of money and a lot of minutes on the table to join Beantown, but that's par for the course when it comes to the Celtics.
At this point in his career, Steve Nash might just be ready to take that plunge.
2. Los Angeles Lakers
9 of 10
Los Angeles Lakers get: Steve Nash (PG), Marcin Gortat (C) & Josh Childress (G/F)
Phoenix gets: Andrew Bynum (C), Ron Artest (SF) & Shannon Brown (SG)
If Boston's possible for a Steve Nash buyout-and-signing scenario, then Los Angeles would certainly be just as attractive a destination.
In fact, because Nash would undoubtedly play a starter's role in L.A., (and because the Lakers have won more titles during this three year stretch than the Celtics), one could make a strong case that Los Angeles is actually the BETTER option, should Nash be willing to sign on low money with a contender.
However, Steve Nash's signing with the Lakers would be a giant middle finger to Suns fans. Given his verbal loyalty to their franchise, I'd be somewhat surprised to see him choose L.A. over Boston or Miami, if given the choice as a veteran minimum signee.
Either way, I also wanted to mix things up again here with another trade scenario. I can already hear complaints from both camps on this one, however:
Some Suns fans will consider Gortat's strong half season to be enough proof that he's just as good as Andrew Bynum. They'll undoubtedly recoil in horror at the thought of Ron Artest in a Suns uniform, while also doubting whether Shannon Brown is the real deal.
On the other hand, Lakers fans will continue to pimp Bynum and Brown as untouchable future super-stars who no "washed up" (their words, not mine) Hall of Fame point guard or yeoman starting center could possibly warrant, especially if Josh Childress' extremely overpaid 'fro is part of the deal.
Excuse me while I shake my head in frustration at all of you.
There's a lot of options to make this work. Channing Frye and Robin Lopez could be swapped for Gortat, while Steve Blake and Devin Eubanks or Derrick Caracter could be included instead of Artest.
Whatever the combo, realize that Ron Artest is now completely expendable with Matt Barnes on board. His contract is just as bad as Josh Childress', but it also expires a year earlier.
Andrew Bynum might become a franchise center, but Los Angeles doesn't have time to wait and find out, while Phoenix would be flat out stupid not to take the time and see.
Shannon Brown would be a great fit with Aaron Brooks in Phoenix, while Marcin Gortat would do everything that Bynum currently does for the Lakers, with only a fraction of the ongoing injury risk.
We all know the Lakers need to do something about their point guard situation. Derek Fisher is just about out of time, and Steve Blake is not an every-day starter. Bringing in Steve Nash would allow the Lakers to finally stop overcompensating for their point guards, while still bringing Fisher and/or Blake off the bench in a more appropriate role.
There's a lot to like here from either side, but I'm not sure if the Phoenix and L.A. partisans will climb out of their bunkers long enough to see that.
1. Dallas Mavericks
10 of 10
Phoenix buys out Steve Nash, who signs with Dallas for the veteran minimum.
You all knew this one was coming.
Yes, trade scenarios could be concocted using Roddy Beaubois, Dallas' No. 26 pick in this year's draft and Brendan Haywood's contract as ballast, but matching something up that Phoenix likes and Dallas can afford is going to be difficult.
The Mavericks are hoping to re-sign Tyson Chandler. They'll also try to make a good push at Caron Butler, even if it's just to use him in a sign and trade. They don't necessarily need Steve Nash, as Jason Kidd still has a pulse.
Still, there's just something about this that feels so right, and I'd be surprised if all involved parties didn't feel the same way.
It's a well-known fact that Nash and Dirk Nowitzki want to play together again. Mark Cuban has always expressed his regrets for giving up on Nash in 2004. Shawn Marion has been a shadow of his former self without Steve Nash. The Mavericks are loaded for a championship, but could still use another dash of moxie.
The list goes on and on.
If Steve Nash were to sign or be traded to Dallas, who would be the starting point guard? Would Kidd and Nash be able to coexist in this situation? Would there be enough Super Poligrip for both of them?
Actually, they're both at the point in their careers where they could absolutely make this work. Egos typically walk out the door when career clocks are ticking this loudly.
I'd start Kidd, acknowledging that he's the incumbent and that Nash is able to provide an instant spark off the bench, whereas Kidd needs to get established on a consistent basis.
Suddenly the Mavs would have as much depth and experience at nearly every position as anyone in the league. As they do now to most extents, they'd literally have an option for any and every style they wanted to play.
Who appears in crunch-time would be a big question to figure out, but with Nowitzki, Kidd, Nash, Marion, Jason Terry and presumably, Chandler and Butler, it sure as heck would be a fun problem for the coaching staff, and a terrifying one for Dallas opponents.
