Steve Nash Appears Stuck In Phoenix (By Choice)

by Jeff Clark on Feb 18, 2012 2:44 PM EST in Boston Celtics Articles

Everyone wants Steve Nash traded to a contender. Everyone, that is, except Steve Nash and the Suns.

No trade noise from Nash - TrueHoop Blog - ESPN

If he asked out after giving eight great years to a Phoenix Suns franchise that has repeatedly made fiscal obligations a priority over championship aspirations, could anyone blame him? "I’m not oblivious to [the chance of] playing on a contender," Nash said. "But at the same time, especially in the position I’m in right now, I feel a sense of loyalty to my team. To go and ask for a trade, it’s not like I’m going to say, ‘Trade me to...’ He made a circling motion with his finger, as if he were about to land it on a destination.

Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver says plan in place to quickly get the team back on competitive level

To their credit, Sarver and President of Basketball Operations Babby were forthright in laying out their plan. Among the highlights: " Steve Nash isn't going anywhere, unless he chooses to leave. " The organization has no interest in a full-scale "blowing up" of the team, because its research shows that process can take from eight to 10 years and it has no interest in waiting that long. " It believes a return to being an elite team will come from better drafting, wise personnel moves via trades and free agency, and taking advantage of the significant amount of salary-cap space it will have available next season. "Our goal is to transition back to elite status," Sarver said, "and to get there sooner than later."

The Suns and the Celtics are in different positions. The Celtics at least believe that they can still win a title. The Suns aren't even pretending that they can. The Suns are going to lose their franchise guy sooner or later anyway, so I don't get their rationale about blowing it up taking years to recover from.

That's also why I can sort of understand the Celtics fans' urge to blow it up in Beantown. "Might as well get it over with" is the thinking of those that don't buy our chances as contenders. Still, we have 3 Steve Nashes and a Rondo to boot (so to speak). So I'm not ready to blow it up yet. Then again, maybe I'm in the same denial that the Suns appear to be in.

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This is good news for us.

Nash would make the Lakers much stronger (in the event they failed to get Howard.)

by florida dodger on Feb 18, 2012 3:01 PM EST reply actions

Blowing it up isn't as easy as it sounds, either

You need to get lucky in the draft lottery, get lucky with the draft year (some years are terrible, others are awesome), and hope you land guys who develop as you project. To really build a team through the draft, you probably need to be terrible for a few straight years AND get lucky, like the Thunder. Others, like the Bobcats, are much less fortunate.

by guy incognito on Feb 18, 2012 3:08 PM EST reply actions

You mean

He doesn’t want to finish his career in Boston’s old folks home?

Good for us.

by CelticsFanNC on Feb 18, 2012 3:59 PM EST reply actions

eight to ten years?!

i don’t know what research they have, but rebuilding involves more luck than anything else, as I see it. obviously it helps to have a smart GM and committed ownership to take advantage of opportunities as they arise, but rebuilding is a PROCESS, MAN..

think about championship winners that have successfully rebuilt (meaning championships) since 1980 — Celtics, Pistons, and the Lakers. Everyone else has been a pretender. Sorry to depress folks, but that’s it. That’s the list. I say all the more reason to milk all you can out of the current squad.

by JunkyardDawg on Feb 18, 2012 4:17 PM EST reply actions

the Celtic's

Have an ownership that is committed to winning. Wyc and Co. if they’re smart want no part of an elongated stretch of mediocre basketball. I think they are smart and know winning fills the seats and creates revenue. This ownership gropup seemto really enjoy the excitement created when the Celtics are relevant.

Have a smart and aggressive GM.

Have a ton of cap space which can be used in different ways. I don’t know that we will sign anyone who is a franchise changer but it allows us to take on larger salaries via trade which is how I believe we will have to reload.

Have a great player friendly coach that good players want to play for.

Have an All-Star pass first PG who is young and creates easy shots for others. Yes he is an enigma. I do honestly believe he would be a whole lot more consistent if we consistently played a style in which he can thrive. Playing most of his minutes with the “old four” relegates him in to being a road runner playing in quick sand.

Have a great tradition that this current squad has brought back to life.

Have a rabid fan base and reside in one of the better sports cities in the world.

These and other factors give us a leg up on most of these teams trying to get better in a hurry. I don’t think the rebuild/reload is going to take as long as many think. A couple of years and we can be back and hopefully this time with a team that has more staying power.

The problem with milking this squad further is that the tank seems dry. They’re okay but clearly not contenders. If it becomes clear you are not title contenders then it is time to move on. We’re clearly not title contenders and aren;t one player away either.

by CelticsFanNC on Feb 18, 2012 4:38 PM EST up reply actions