Coro: Steve Nash's career with the Phoenix Suns nears its end

[Folster]

Steve Nash's career with the Pheonix Suns nears its end

by Paul Coro - Jun. 29, 2012 08:43 PM
The Republic | azcentral.com

Eight years after then-Suns executive Rex Chapman showed up at Steve Nash's door when free agency opened at midnight, the door appears to be closing on Nash's illustrious tenure in Phoenix.

Nash had a desire to remain -- and retire -- with the Suns but the interest in the 38-year-old point guard is stronger elsewhere as free-agency negotiations open at 9 p.m. Phoenix time Saturday night. Toronto, Brooklyn and Dallas are prepared to offer contracts with more money or years -- or both -- than Phoenix. Dallas' and Brooklyn's interest hinges on free-agent point guard Deron Williams' choice between the two franchises, but New York also is a player for Nash, who stays in Manhattan during the summer.

The Knicks do not have the salary-cap space of the other suitors but could do a sign-and-trade deal with Phoenix or make roster moves to create space. The Suns have $23 million in salary-cap space but are trying to retain space for other pursuits, which appears to include a large offer to restricted free agent Eric Gordon. New Orleans traded Emeka Okafor and Trevor Ariza this week to create more salary-cap space, and new owner Tom Benson is expected to want to match an offer for the shooting guard. Gordon could command at least $12 million annually.
The Suns' interest in retaining Nash does not come at all costs, setting up a possible parting where both sides can shrug and say they tried to stay together. The Suns do not appear willing to meet his wish for a three-year deal, which Toronto and Brooklyn would do. They also are expected to be millions away from the eight-figure annual salaries he will get elsewhere, including with his former team and best buddy Dirk Nowitzki in Dallas. The Mavericks would likely limit an offer to a one-year deal, reserving next year's space to pursue center Dwight Howard.

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/sun...pheonix-suns-nears-its-end.html#ixzz1zFQNDWVa​

Coro with a long ominous article. I like what I'm hearing from Babby.

 

[TJ]

While it's inevitable (and probably necessary), I will be very heartbroken when Nash leaves. The man poured his heart and soul out for this franchise. if $arver had as much devotion to the team as Nash, we'd be perennial contenders.

Hope he returns to the franchise in some capacity post retirement


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Phrazbit]

I do like a lot of what Babby says, its a real departure from the future-risking-smoke-blown-up-the-butt rhetoric that the team has been putting out for about 4 years now.

Also worth noting, the guy was a hugely successful player agent who was rolling in the millions. You'd think he wouldnt leave that career to become a GM (which almost certainly pays less) unless he had a real vision for how he wanted to build a team, rather than some of these dolts who get put in charge of a franchise and just start throwing money around and have no plan.

 

[Gaddabout]

A sign-and-trade with Brooklyn?



Let's just ask for some nice ball caps and call it a trade.

 

[Folster]

A sign-and-trade with Brooklyn?



Let's just ask for some nice ball caps and call it a trade.

I'll take MarShon Brooks.

 

[JCSunsfan]

Things that I take away:

1. Nash is gone.
2. Felton is not going to happen, hallelujah.
3. Going for Gordon, but that is not going to happen because NO will match.
4. There are FA targets, hopefully not Ray Allan

 

[elindholm]

But wait, didn't lots of people on this board insist that Nash was going to "demand" a lot of money from Phoenix, and they'd have no choice to pay it, because I can't remember what reason?

 

[Folster]

But wait, didn't lots of people on this board insist that Nash was going to "demand" a lot of money from Phoenix, and they'd have no choice to pay it, because I can't remember what reason?

I think it had something to do with Babby's sun, moon, and stars rhetoric.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Sad day, Nash provided arguably the most entertaining era of Suns basketball.

It's a shame our front office/ownership wasn't committed to building a championship team around him, I wish him nothing but the best, and hope he gets a championship.

 

[mojorizen7]

Good to hear. Hope Nash lands back in Dallas and gets a ring.

 

[Waysouth]

Sure would like to get something for him...a future #1 if we take back an expiring salary? Sign Gordon, trade Dudley for Derrick Williams and start the rebuild.

 

[sunsfan88]

I can the Knicks possibly trading Shumpert or Jeremy Lin (s&t) for Nash.

 

[Phrazbit]

Sure would like to get something for him...a future #1 if we take back an expiring salary? Sign Gordon, trade Dudley for Derrick Williams and start the rebuild.

While Khan is monumentally stupid, I still dont think he would pull the trigger on that trade. It was hilarious though that the Wolves have been trying to workout their logjam at the 3 for the last year then make their big predraft trade and it adds another small forward.

 

[sunsfan88]

"I don't necessarily feel like it's a home run anymore," Nash said of re-signing with the Suns. "I don't necessarily feel like they're determined to keep me. I think there's a lot of factors. So, one, I'm not sure they're determined to keep me, (and) two, there's other opportunities that are exciting. So I think I have to be open-minded ... but at the same time be able to forecast where I'll be most successful and happiest."

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/8...-says-staying-phoenix-suns-no-longer-home-run

I think that's a better article.

 

[Gaddabout]

I can the Knicks possibly trading Shumpert or Jeremy Lin (s&t) for Nash.

Why do you want Jeremy Lin? Why does anyone want Jeremy Lin? Why does anyone want Ben Gordon, Steve Francis, Aaron Brooks, and any of the other dime-a-dozen scoring point guards?

 

[CardsFan88]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/8...-says-staying-phoenix-suns-no-longer-home-run

I think that's a better article.

In it is has this pearl.

Raptors president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo, who headed the Phoenix contingent that swooped into Dallas in July 2004 and convinced Nash to leave the Mavericks to return the team that drafted him in less than 24 hours, is planning a similar approach to courting Canada's best-ever player in 2012.

Sources say that the Raptors will have at least five members of the organization waiting in New York this weekend to visit Nash as soon as he's ready Sunday, with Toronto widely expected to make the richest financial offer Nash receives this offseason to come back to Canada. The offer is likely to approach $12 million annually, sources say.

...and they aren't the only ones.

Seems like really the only ones who aren't showing much interest are the $uns. I think it is very telling.

If this was the plan, oh who am I kidding, they don't have one, they should have traded him at the deadline. Once again we get nothing for our players. Trade away picks to get rid of expiring contracts. Sign useless players to bloated contracts. If we're lucky some team will need a sign and trade to make it work.

Now they promise to use $$$ wisely. Well that will be a change...but not one I can believe in. Not spending doesn't prove squat. Any fool can refuse to spend. Spending and being right will be the true test.

..and of course it also states that we aren't even willing to offer him a 3 year deal. Which is pretty pathetic really. The propaganda machine doesn't need to be fed. If you want him back, do it. If you don't, say so. But to let a '3rd year' or someone 'outbid' you, or actually be 'prepared' to make an offer, just reeks of same ol $arver led Suns to me.

It's strikes me like a situation where a woman feels neglected by her man and is considering cheating. When made aware of the situation, the Suns response seems to be....well let's wait and see.

I'd rather have Steve here to mentor Marshall, but it's not about not wanting to move on. He's deserves to go somewhere where $arver's Sadim touch won't hinder him. But we should of gotten something for him if that was the decision.

It's hard to imagine that for Nash, Amare, and Marion, all we got was an aging Shaq. Amazing. Turning diamonds into dirt. Now we're supposed to believe they are farmers.

It's about this team having no clue. They finally found out what to say about this situation after all these years. But still are poised to mess up the execution of it.

$arver used Nash instead of going for a title with him. Now the team with no plan is trying to pretend like they have one. I just don't buy it.

With him stating he might make his decision in the first day, I think that about sums it up. Far too quickly for our FO to move.

Somehow I think we have a 'special' plan that involves winning the lottery, getting a promotion, finding the girl of your dreams, and catching a baby falling from a building in the same day. It just ain't going to happen, but that's our plan. At least they got Marshall, whatever he turns out to be to soften the blow.

There will be no hiding the failure of $arver when Nash is gone. I really don't think they have a clue what they are about to get themselves into.

I wonder how badly he's going to squirm when he has no assets to trade, when draft picks are the only way you're going to get better. For once in his life $arver's business is going to meet reality and somehow I think it's going to be hard for him to handle. Something tells me he ain't going be very noticeable next season, and may even choose to not to sit in the crowd. Forget the foam finger.

Saying it's ok to suck, and being clueless besides saying common sense platitudes, is different than actually dealing with sucking, and then really knowing how to crawl back to the top.

I just have no faith to think what they are saying are anything beyond words, spin, and learned 'gotta take them one game at a time' phrases, etc.

At no step of the process have they actually done anything remotely right. Once again the team is going to be reactive and let a championship fall into their laps. Earth to $arver, that's not how you get one. You be proactive with a strong knowledge base behind you every chance you get (especially known factors), and then REACT to the unforeseen curve balls competently. You don't just wait to react, and hope all is well.

They're trying to convince us that by not spending they are being wise and asking us to transform that into believing they have a plan and that is a part of it so believe in the rest. Maybe if the reality wasn't showing the gap is as wide as the Grand Canyon. That's one helluva leap of faith. Again, the only test that matters isn't a decision not to spend, but WHEN they spend it.

Now $arver's education is really going to start.

Here's to hoping that our luck outweighs the organizational idiocy in the medium term.

 

[sunsfan88]

But again, who knows if we could have got anything of value for Nash even if we traded him at the deadline?

 

[sunsfan88]

Once Nash leaves, Dudley's gonna be the only one left on this roster who has won a damn thing!

http://blog.suns.com/2012/06/6285/?location=topstory4

 

[Griffin]

If you want him back, do it. If you don't, say so. But to let a '3rd year' or someone 'outbid' you, or actually be 'prepared' to make an offer, just reeks of same ol $arver led Suns to me.

Agreed. I don't mind the Suns going in a different direction. But it looks like the Suns do want to re-sign Nash and continue present course as long as it's for less money and less years than other teams are offering, despite having as much cap space. So in essence they are low-balling him like they did every other star player who has come through here in the Sarver era.

If the post-Nash era begins this season, it won't be because the team has decided to fully rebuild or that they have some kind of a grand plan for the future. It will be only because Nash will fall out of their price range.

It's ironic that Colangelo outbid Cuban for Nash's services in 2004 when Cuban didn't think Nash had much left in the tank and now it is both Colangelo and Cuban who will be outbidding Sarver to get Nash back.

As for using money wisely, that's all nice and dandy but you have to spend on someone. So far, if Nash leaves, it means that Sarver has gotten outbid for Joe Johnson, Amare and Nash. On the plus side, they have outbid other teams for the likes of Marcus Banks, Josh Childress and Hakim Warrick. I wonder what the Suns will do with all that cap space once Nash leaves. I don't see anyone wanting to come here for a chance to play with a rookie PG and a bunch of role players unless you seriously overpay, and that in not spending wisely.

 

[Mainstreet]

I'm repulsed that Babby was putting out the story earlier (before the trading deadline) about the desire to keep Nash and he talked about him retiring a Sun. This is when Nash still could have been traded for something. Now, like most major assets, they will let Nash walk for nothing. The Suns knew all along what it would take to keep Nash, something in the order of 12M for a 3 year contract. Babby just lost major credibility with me on this nostalgia trip. I found myself believing him. Now the Suns FO has no credibility as far as I'm concerned. I thought Babby meant what he said even though I disagreed with the strategy.

 

[Folster]

Why is everyone now bemoaning the probable loss of Nash? This is what everyone wanted and the Suns needed to finally start rebuilding. All of a suddenly we are disrespecting him and treating him poorly by not pursuing him hard? Babby is prepared to offer him a 2 year $20 million contract. That's disrespectful? He's 38! If Toronto offers a 3 year $36 million, then congrats to them and Nash. There isn't a player over 38 in the NBA that is going to get a contract like that. I'll be sad to see Steve go, but it's time.

Also it may behoove Toronto to work a sign and trade with us. They could free up more cap space to pursue other free agents like Batum without amnestying Calderon who's expiring contract is an asset.

 

[Mainstreet]

Why is everyone now bemoaning the probable loss of Nash? This is what everyone wanted and the Suns needed to finally start rebuilding. All of a suddenly we are disrespecting him and treating him poorly by not pursuing him hard? Babby is prepared to offer him a 2 year $20 million contract. That's disrespectful? He's 38! If Toronto offers a 3 year $36 million, then congrats to them and Nash. There isn't a player over 38 in the NBA that is going to get a contract like that. I'll be sad to see Steve go, but it's time.

The issue is letting Nash walk for nothing when he could have traded. The Suns knew what the stakes would be.

Also it may behoove Toronto to work a sign and trade with us. They could free up more cap space to pursue other free agents like Batum without amnestying Calderon who's expiring contract is an asset.

I would like to do a sign and trade with Toronto for Calderon. IMO, not much downside when he is an expiring contract and he could start at PG for the Suns. I'm not sure why Toronto would amnesty Calderon if he is indeed an asset which I believe he is.

 

[elindholm]

Why is everyone now bemoaning the probable loss of Nash? This is what everyone wanted and the Suns needed to finally start rebuilding. All of a suddenly we are disrespecting him and treating him poorly by not pursuing him hard? Babby is prepared to offer him a 2 year $20 million contract. That's disrespectful? He's 38! If Toronto offers a 3 year $36 million, then congrats to them and Nash.

Thank you. It seems that most people on this board are going to complain no matter what the Suns do. They complained when it looked like the Suns were keeping Nash, and now they're complaining when it looks like they're letting him go.

The issue is letting Nash walk for nothing when he could have traded. The Suns knew what the stakes would be.

The Suns were trying to make the playoffs. Lots of people on this board wanted them to start tanking earlier, but that isn't their style.

I doubt anyone could have forseen that Nash would get a 3-year offer at eight figures per. In fact when the speculation was that the Suns were going to offer $20M/2yrs, most of this board was aghast that they would consider such an absurd overpayment, and indeed there was great hand-wringing over how folly it would be to sign Nash to such a contract.

For the Raptors to give Nash that kind of deal is idiotic. If they want to do it, good for them, but you can't live in fear of every stupid thing your opponents might do.

I would like to do a sign and trade with Toronto for Calderon. IMO, not much downside when he is an expiring contract and he could start at PG for the Suns. I'm not sure why Toronto would amnesty Calderon if he is indeed an asset which I believe he is.

He's not an asset at $10.5 million for next season. Once he's amnestied, he'll probably get an MLE deal for three years, or something around there. Phoenix can get into the bidding if they want, although that would probably mean reducing Telfair to a bench-warming insurance policy.

 

[95pro]

Why is everyone now bemoaning the probable loss of Nash? This is what everyone wanted and the Suns needed to finally start rebuilding. All of a suddenly we are disrespecting him and treating him poorly by not pursuing him hard? Babby is prepared to offer him a 2 year $20 million contract. That's disrespectful? He's 38! If Toronto offers a 3 year $36 million, then congrats to them and Nash. There isn't a player over 38 in the NBA that is going to get a contract like that. I'll be sad to see Steve go, but it's time.

Also it may behoove Toronto to work a sign and trade with us. They could free up more cap space to pursue other free agents like Batum without amnestying Calderon who's expiring contract is an asset.

Exactly. People wanted to tank and move on. Now we are "cheap" again for "low balling" him.
Now the excuse is losing him for nothing. It's already been determined that the best thing that can be done is a sign and trade. Nash being Nash would give us that much like Amare did, he could have walked for nothing. I expect Nash to graciously do the same.

 

[Mainstreet]

He's not an asset at $10.5 million for next season. Once he's amnestied, he'll probably get an MLE deal for three years, or something around there. Phoenix can get into the bidding if they want, although that would probably mean reducing Telfair to a bench-warming insurance policy.

I do not think Telfair is starter material and the rookie Marshall will need time. Calderon could be used as an asset if some team is willing to take on his contract for a pick, like Phoenix, or a piece of a larger trade.