Steve Nash is in the final year of his contract, playing at a high level for a lowly Phoenix Suns team, and the world is waiting with bated breath for the 37-year-old phenom to exert his leverage and force his way out.
But it hasn’t happened yet.
Nash continues to be a human highlight reel, averaging 15.1 points and 10 assists per game, and is the sole reason why the Suns have remained competitive and stolen any victories at all. Despite such impressive displays though, the clock is ticking, and the window for Nash to grab the elusive championship ring we imagine he so desperately craves is closing.
So, why hasn’t he attempted to flee Phoenix?
While Nash is in the final year of his deal, this isn’t exactly a situation a title hungry athlete can remain patient in. The point guard has staved off age thus far, but at this point, he is operating on borrowed time.
If his inaction is not due to the luxury of patience, is it perhaps his fear of offending the Suns organization and tainting his legacy?
Knowing how genuine a person Nash is, the easy answer here would be yes, if it wasn’t for the fact that the veteran point man practically has Phoenix’s blessing to do what he pleases.
From Ken Berge of CBS Sports:
Despite the Suns’ struggles, Steve Nash has yet to express an interest in being traded, league sources said. But the organization will try to accommodate Nash’s wishes if the 37-year-old foundation of the franchise decides he’d like a chance to compete for a championship with a contender. “It’s really on him in terms of what he wants to do or not do,” a person with knowledge of the situation said. Nash, who turns 38 next week, will be an unrestricted free agent July 1.
Of course the Suns would love to have Nash along for the ride the rest of the season—he sells tickets—but the franchise is aware that he has given all he can to its development, and that if anyone has a right to be selfish for once, it’s him.
Yet even so, there has been no trade demand. Never before has a potentially outgoing player received so much support from within the organization he would be abandoning. It’s a testament to the charismatic nature of Nash, both on and off the court.
So, why hasn’t Nash requested to be traded? At this point, the answer is obvious: Because he isn’t selfish. At all.
As entitled as Nash is to do what he pleases, he is simply not the type of player, or person, to force his way into a different situation. He is not LeBron James. He is not Carmelo Anthony. And that’s what makes him so great.
The time for Nash to leave Phoenix is coming. Hell, it may have already past, but that doesn’t matter to him.
All that matters to Nash is that he has a ball in his hands and a teammate to dish it to. And until his contract is up, he doesn’t care what jersey he does it in or which player he passed it to.
Dan Favale is an avid basketball analyst and firm believer in the three-pointer as well as the notion that defense doesn’t always win championships. His work can be found at Bleacherreport.com in addition to TheHoopDoctors.com. Follow @danfavale on Twitter for his latest posts and all things NBA.
