Nash Re-signs: 2 years, $22m

[Chaplin]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4341269

After receiving an improved offer last week and taking a few more days to deliberate, two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Steve Nash notified the Phoenix Suns over the weekend that he is accepting the Suns' two-year extension offer worth an estimated $22 million, according to team sources.

Sources told ESPN.com that Nash is expected to formally announce his decision via his Twitter feed later Monday.

The Suns offered Nash a two-year, $20 million extension two weeks ago in addition to the $13.1 million he's owed next season, then bumped it higher in a meeting in Las Vegas last Wednesday attended by Suns owner Robert Sarver, president of basketball operations Steve Kerr and Nash's agent Bill Duffy.

Although signals had been getting stronger in recent days that Nash would inevitably accept an improved proposal from Sarver -- including a Twitter message in the early hours of last Thursday from teammate Jared Dudley that Nash would be "signin that ext anyday" -- it has been a nervy wait this month for the Suns, who have made no secret that securing Nash's long-term future was their No. 1 priority this offseason.

One team official confirmed that the Suns were aware that Nash strongly considered the idea of playing out his contract next season, which would have enabled him to join the ballyhooed free-agent class of 2010 and possibly move to the New York Knicks to reunite with former coach Mike D'Antoni. Nash, though, ultimately opted for security with the franchise that drafted him out of Santa Clara in 1996 and gave him the platform to earn the nickname "Two-Time" from teammates with his back-to-back MVP seasons in 2005 and 2006 after leaving the Dallas Mavericks to rejoin the Suns in the summer of 2004.

"This is one of the hardest-working and most resilient athletes to have ever played in the NBA," Duffy said of Nash, who has hushed fears about his durability by playing in an average of 77 games over the five seasons of his second stint with the Suns. "He earns every penny."

Nash's public comments this month on negotiations generally gave Phoenix hope that he was prepared to spend the next three seasons in the desert -- which would take him to age 38 -- in spite of the Suns' recent slide in the West. During the recent opening of his latest Steve Nash Sports Club in his native Canada, Nash said: "I still believe in everybody there and still think we can build a winner."

In the same interview, though, Nash also mentioned the "financial constraints" that prompted the Suns to trade Shaquille O'Neal to Cleveland (for the expiring contracts of Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic) after O'Neal's first and only full season as a Sun resulted in a 46-36 record that featured the midseason firing of coach Terry Porter and a failure to make the playoffs.

"We maybe don't have the deep pockets of some of the other teams," Nash said, hinting at what sources close to the process described as his concerns about the Suns' ability to reload roster-wise during the span of his new deal to return Phoenix to the Western Conference elite.

The Suns, though, made it clear to Nash that they would refuse any outside trade interest, even if he insisted on playing out his current contract to have the right to shop himself in the summer of 2010, when D'Antoni undoubtedly would have made a hard push to try to lure Nash to the Knicks in free agency.

Sources say Portland never got close in recent weeks with its determined push to convince Phoenix to part with a package of young players for Nash, who then would have received a contract richer than the deal he ultimately accepted from the Suns.

In addition to re-signing Nash, Phoenix has drafted Earl Clark, signed free-agent forward Channing Frye, re-signed Nash's close friend Grant Hill and bought out Wallace this offseason. It remains to be seen how the future of Suns forward Amare Stoudemire plays out from here, with sources indicating that the club has not ruled out trading Stoudemire after exploring the possibility in February before the league's annual trading deadline and again in June in conjunction with the draft.

 

[Mainstreet]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4341269

When a team like Portland (that knows talent) was willing to give Nash a richer contract and some young talent to the Suns in return, it speaks well of Nash's value.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

When a team like Portland (that knows talent) was willing to give Nash a richer contract and some young talent to the Suns in return, it speaks well of Nash's value.

Mixed feelings on this one. Unless we have legitimate plans to try and compete for a title in the next 3 years, I see no reason why we wouldn't trade Nash to Portland. He'd have a shot at getting a title, and we'd get the young talent to build around.

If the plan is to trot out the same dog and pony show and be one and done in the playoffs, why not trade Nash and start the inevitable rebuilding process?

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Wow so the Suns turned down a package of young talent from Portland from Nash. Mojo is crying in his beer right now.

 

[Mainstreet]

Mixed feelings on this one. Unless we have legitimate plans to try and compete for a title in the next 3 years, I see no reason why we wouldn't trade Nash to Portland. He'd have a shot at getting a title, and we'd get the young talent to build around.

This is a tough call. However, I'm betting Portland did not offer the Suns any players that could convince the Suns that keeping Nash was not a better option.

The Suns have no rudder without Nash or anyone they can promote as the face of the franchise. The Suns have frittered away years of talent. I think if the Suns really had faith in Amare they would have traded Nash. I see the Suns just biding their time until they can trade Amare for some potential young star power.

 

[Chaplin]

Or Nash might have said "no" to playing in Portland, money or no.

 

[Gaddabout]

Or Nash might have said "no" to playing in Portland, money or no.

Nash definitely strikes me as a Mac guy.

 

[Covert Rain]

This is a tough call. However, I'm betting Portland did not offer the Suns any players that could convince the Suns that keeping Nash was not a better option.

The Suns have no rudder without Nash or anyone they can promote as the face of the franchise. The Suns have frittered away years of talent. I think if the Suns really had faith in Amare they would have traded Nash. I see the Suns just biding their time until they can trade Amare for some potential young star power.

I am sure Portland did what every other team dealing with the Suns this year has done. We will give you a crap player or players or crap picks for your players. When is the last time we heard of any legit trade scenario bringing back anything substantial in return? Now we have teams like GS punking the Suns.

In terms of this extension, we overpaid. By about 3 Million IMO. I don't understand the team direction. This team clearly is not a contender. So, was this move to try and hold on to some season ticket base? If so, I will guarantee if this team continues to take a nose dive, Suns fans will jump ship like the Suns are the . Only us die hards will stick it out.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

What really concerns me is the 3 million of deferred money each year. I have seen deferred salaries absolutely destroy the DBacks for years.

If Sarver can't pay the salary then don't sign him to a deal. Or better yet, just sell the team.

Nightmare scenario for the fans.

"The Phoenix Suns trade their 2012 first round pick for $3 million dollars so they can cover Nash's salary, whom is no longer on the team."

 

[Mr. Boldin]

The Problem with Portland is 2 fold.

Would Nash want to play for one of the slowest paced teams in the NBA?

Would the Suns be able to sell to the fans the fact that they traded their franchise player to a contender out West?

 

[Mainstreet]

What really concerns me is the 3 million of deferred money each year. I have seen deferred salaries absolutely destroy the DBacks for years.

If Sarver can't pay the salary then don't sign him to a deal. Or better yet, just sell the team.

Nightmare scenario for the fans.

"The Phoenix Suns trade their 2012 first round pick for $3 million dollars so they can cover Nash's salary, whom is no longer on the team."

The departing JRich will likely pay the rent. This is the first time I have heard about the Suns using deferred salaries. Hopefully this is a one time exception.

 

[Mainstreet]

The Problem with Portland is 2 fold.

Would Nash want to play for one of the slowest paced teams in the NBA?

Would the Suns be able to sell to the fans the fact that they traded their franchise player to a contender out West?

Maybe Portland wants to play fast. They certainly would have had the talent to go in this direction with Nash. If the Suns would seek a trade with GS why not Portland.

 

[Covert Rain]

Would the Suns be able to sell to the fans the fact that they traded their franchise player to a contender out West?

I have not met too many Suns fans that think Nash will bring us a title. Having said that, if they did trade Nash to Portland and Portland went on to win it all, people would be irritated. I think that still happens if you traded Nash to an East Coast team and they win it all as well.

As long as you don't trade him to the Lakers or the Spurs I would be fine (assuming you get good value in return).

 

[Arizona's Finest]

Keep in mind "young talent" could be any number of players on their roster.

Personally I would have been excited to see what he could have done with the guys on Portland. I think he would have made them a legit #3 seed in the West depending what we got back.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Mixed feelings on this one. Unless we have legitimate plans to try and compete for a title in the next 3 years, I see no reason why we wouldn't trade Nash to Portland. He'd have a shot at getting a title, and we'd get the young talent to build around.

If the plan is to trot out the same dog and pony show and be one and done in the playoffs, why not trade Nash and start the inevitable rebuilding process?

Because if you trade Nash for Bayless/Batum/contract filler (we maybe get a Martel Webster or Travis Outlaw as well) you finish in the bottom 8 of the NBA and give a lottery pick to a potential powerhouse in OKC while Nash and co. go deep into the playoffs.

Sarver and the Suns were afraid of the PR backlash. I still would've pulled the trigger. I'd be willing to guess that if we had our pick in 2010 that trade or something like it already would've happened.

 

[DeAnna]

Shoot, guess I'll have to change my avatar.

Whatever Nashty wants, Nashty gets. I guess the "having a low-post presence" experiment didn't work so we are back to square one (run-n-gun).

So, what exactly will Frye's role be? Will he be playing the 5?

 

[Roca Dolla]

Shoot, guess I'll have to change my avatar.

Whatever Nashty wants, Nashty gets. I guess the "having a low-post presence" experiment didn't work so we are back to square one (run-n-gun).

So, what exactly will Frye's role be? Will he be playing the 5?

my guess is PF/C

 

[carey]

What really concerns me is the 3 million of deferred money each year. I have seen deferred salaries absolutely destroy the DBacks for years.

Serious question though. Was the world series win worth it?

I know this move won't bring the Suns a championship, but I think the deferred payment thing in this instance isn't really a big deal

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Serious question though. Was the world series win worth it?

I know this move won't bring the Suns a championship, but I think the deferred payment thing in this instance isn't really a big deal

The world series win was absolutely worth it.

If I felt we were in the caliber of the top 8 teams in the NBA it would be worth it.

Right now it isn't.

 

[ReddBird]

I love this deal. It shows that this team is serious about a title run.

 

[dodie53]

I love this deal. It shows that this team is serious about a title run.

title run?

 

[cly2tw]

nashman can come out now boasting that we'd get 3 more years of one-and-done with his man dominating the ball in Phoenix.

 

[mojorizen7]

Wow so the Suns turned down a package of young talent from Portland from Nash. Mojo is crying in his beer right now.

I'm outta beer.
Well whats done is done. I obviously don't agree with the teams direction and would have FULLY endorsed a package of young talent for Nash but there's nothing i can do about it except......get ready for football season

 

[elindholm]

I don't think the deferred salary has any cap implications.

Larry Coon: In addition, up to 30% of a player's compensation can be deferred. Deferred compensation is included in team salary in the season in which it is earned, not the season in which it is paid.

So it's just a cash management issue. In terms of player payroll, the deferment might as well not exist.

 

[Griffin]

So people here were willing to trade Nash for a "young package" without even knowing what would be included in that package?

Let's see: how about Blake, Outlaw and Batum? The Suns were not very successful at getting value in return for Shaq, could not get a good deal for Amare, so what makes anyone think that Portland was offering anything better?