Free Steve Nash

By Migs

Steve Nash winning his 2 MVP awards seems like an eternity ago.

The Phoenix Suns are 8-9, and ninth in the Western Conference. On a team with guys like Hakim Warrick, Josh Childress, a deceptively aged Grant Hill, and a declining Hedo Turkoglu, one would expect that the Suns would be on the same footing with the Clippers at this point.

The fact that they are still knocking on the door of the 8th spot in the West can be attributed to a little Canadian weaving his magic as if he were the Stevie Nash of 5 years ago. At age 37, Nash is still ridiculously well-conditioned, and because he's still one of the best play makers in the NBA, I can't help but feel sorry for the guy at this stage in his career.

Let's face it- without Amare Stoudemire, the Suns are destined to miss the postseason, or at least, get knocked off in the first round. They still don't play defense, and because they've fallen back on offense in that they rely on the 3-ball now more than ever, they stand to last shorter than a hiccup in the grueling Western Conference.

Rumor wires have said that Nash does not wish to be traded. Whatever is keeping Stevie in Phoenix, it must be good, because all the Ben Gay in the world from the Suns' reknowned training staff (they've helped the likes of Shaquille O'Neal and Grant Hill go from arthritis to awesome) can bring the 2 time MVP a ring in the Valley of the Sun at this point.

If the Suns do end up trading him, where would he go? Given his salary, age, skill level, and desire to win a championship? A return trip to Dallas would be out of the question despite his friendship with Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki given how he made his exit as a free agent in 2004. Going to Knicks would be intriguing in that it would allow him to mentor Raymond Felton, and would reunite him with Mike D'Antoni and Amare Stoudemire, but then, he'd probably still miss the postseason, or get knocked off early, given how good we know New York can be (sarcasm; go Toney Douglas!). A possible destination would be Orlando, assuming they can get Phoenix to take on the lofty contracts of Vince Carter or Rashard Lewis. Dwight Howard's game would skyrocket with Nash as his running mate, even if the partnership only lasts a year or two. Nash would probably be able to come at a reasonable price now, too, so Otis Smith won't have to lose sleep like he did when he declared Rashard Lewis the next coming of Larry Bird. I can't see Nash wanting to possibly go anywhere else, unless he wants to go to a young team like Atlanta and take a pay cut.

Don't worry- Steve isn't going to LA because Phil isn't handing the keys to someone who will bring the triangle offense in half, nor is he going to Boston because everything happens in slow motion in Beantown nowadays (it works, though).

Whatever does go down, I hope it happens with the best interests of the greatest uptempo point guard since Magic Johnson, in mind.

Free Steve Nash- now. Or at least, give him a 3rd MVP award, or at least a nomination. With the crew he's got, and at the decent rate they're going, to not include him in the conversation would be a cardinal sin.

-MC-