Earlier this year, Steve Nash issued the ultimatum to the Phoenix Suns that they had to get better or he’d be gone. Even though the Suns have a good amount of cap room to work with in this offseason, they have to make the decision of whether or not it’s even worth it to possibly overspend just to keep their veteran point guard.
Bulls.com’s Sam Smith is reporting that the Suns may not be trying their hardest to keep Nash around.
“All indications in Phoenix are the Suns will make Steve Nash a limited offer and he’ll move on. It makes sense as the Suns will have $23 million in salary cap room and they’ve gone as far as they can go. The Suns were always a player destination, and this will test whether they still are under the frugal Robert Sarver management. Many believe Nash instead of chasing a title with a contender for a lesser salary will go back to Canada and the [Toronto] Raptors for a three-year deal and help bring their young players along.”
The Raptors news is surprising to me. While I know Nash loves his Canadian roots (enough to become the GM of the national team), I really thought he’d want to go to a contender like the Miami Heat or New York Knicks to go for one last shot at a title. I guess the championship isn’t the most important part of his legacy that Nash wants to leave behind.
Aside from the exception of a few teams that already have stellar point guards, I think Nash can go anywhere and is still capable of making any team better. He was second in the NBA in assists this year and quieted the critics that said before the season that he was washed up and should be out the door. He kept a Suns team in a playoff race that they had no business being in, so he has to be an attractive option to a lot of teams out there. Not to mention, he’s a fan favorite everywhere he goes. The city of Phoenix clearly loves him and they will be sad to see him go.
Whatever Steve Nash has planned for his last hurrah, he’s definitely not the type of guy that just rides quietly off into the sunset. You can bet he still has a few tricks up his sleeve.
