Phoenix Suns need to let Steve Nash go – NBA Feature
After 8 consecutive years with the Phoenix Suns, Steve Nash will be a free agent come summer. The All Star point guard is in his 16th NBA season. He signed with the Phoenix Suns from the Dallas Mavericks in 2004, and since then has been at the
centre of all Phoenix teams. He is regarded as one of the best point guards of all time, averaging 14.5 points and 8.6 assists per game over his NBA career.
Steve Nash is averaging 16.2 points and 11 assists per game over the last 8 seasons with the Suns. When Nash was signed to the Suns in 2004, the Suns were coming off a poor season with a 29-53 record. However, Nash guided his team to an NBA best 62-20 record
in the 2004-2005 NBA season, the third greatest turnaround in NBA history. Phoenix was only the second team in NBA history to win 60 plus games after recording 50 plus losses the previous season. Nash was voted the season MVP. This is the kind of change Nash
has brought to the club. He led the Suns to the 2005, 2006 and 2010 NBA Western Conference finals, but the Suns lost all three series.
Now at the age of 38, Nash is desperate for an NBA World Championship ring. He is one of the few all time greats who have not won an NBA championship. Phoenix is currently not in contention to advance much in the Playoffs, even if they make it. Nash has
shown his desire to move to a championship contending team next season.
The basketball magazine, Hoopsworld, has reported that the Phoenix Suns have given Steve Nash a $20 million offer to re-sign with the club for a 2-year contract. The Suns have perhaps misunderstood Steve’s desires. If money could win basketball championships,
Nash would be asking for much more than that. But the fact of the matter is that Nash, now 38, only has a few seasons left to play and desperately wants to go out having won an NBA championship. Phoenix knows they do not have a team that can be contenders
for the NBA championship next season. Their star players except for Nash have moved to other teams and it will be a long restructuring process before they can become title worthy again.
Nash simply does not have that much time. In fact, I personally believe that by trying to re-sign Nash, Phoenix are delaying the inevitable and doing the club as much harm as they are to Nash’s career and desires. They need to find a new point guard and
start building a new team.
Nash, on the other hand, needs to move on. He has given the club, the city and the fans everything he had and has led the Suns to one of the most glorious eras in their history. It would be fair to say that if it weren’t for luck, Nash would have a championship
ring by now.
No matter how much money the Phoenix Suns throw at Nash, he will not re-sign with them. He has reportedly made $119 million in his NBA career so far. Hence, money is not a motivator for Steve anymore. More than that, fans of Steve Nash have always felt for
the guy, who despite amazing talent and skills has not won a title yet.
Imagine what he would be feeling. He deserves to go to a team which can help him achieve the one milestone left for him to achieve, before he retires. Phoenix also needs to respect Nash’s dream and let him go, and set on about the task of restructuring that
they urgently require.
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