duncan228
01-04-2011, 04:47 PM
Steve Nash Still With the Suns ... for Now (http://nba.fanhouse.com/2011/01/04/steve-nash-still-with-suns-for-now/)
By Sam Amick
The game itself, once again, did nothing to reveal the number of circles on Steve Nash's tree trunk.
The ageless Phoenix Suns point guard was nearly perfect in a loss to the lowly Sacramento Kings on Sunday night, carving up one of the league's youngest teams with his trademark offensive brilliance. He hit all eight of his shots from the field and both of his free throws en route to a 20-point outing. Nash was his unselfish self with his teammates as well, and perhaps even too selfless this time around.
He passed up an open layup in the final minute that would have cut the deficit to one, firing a pass to new teammate Mickael Pietrus in the right corner for an errant, game-tying 3-point attempt. Still, Nash's scoring combined with 12 assists and just two turnovers was, once again, the kind of point guard play that NBA executives dream of.
But his Suns lost for the eighth time in their last 11 games nonetheless, and the unavoidable truth that Nash is 36 years old was finally evident afterward as he talked to reporters at his locker inside Arco Arena. The once-boyish face was nowhere to be found, replaced by the mug of a man with a 5 o'clock shadow that features as much gray hair as it does brown.
With the way the new-look Suns are looking, the grays aren't going to stop growing anytime soon.
This is why opposing teams aren't convinced the Suns won't trade Nash before the Feb. 24 trade deadline, because the notion that one of the league's brightest diamonds will stay stuck in this desert rough during his twilight years is simply too hard to comprehend. And that skepticism, according to a source who was recently briefed on the Suns' thinking, might still turn out to be warranted.
While the 14-18 Suns made it clear recently that their six-player trade with Orlando was not a precursor to moving Nash, the option is being considered and they are, according to the source, "on the fence" about which direction to go. The next month will be key in the decision-making process, as there is a mixture of belief and hope that the additions of Vince Carter, Pietrus and Marcin Gortat can fortify the defense and help turn the season around in time for a playoff push.
But the Suns are well aware that Nash is their most valuable trade asset when it comes to expediting the rebuilding process, and the continuation of their current slide might speed up their possible decision to part ways with the seven-time All-Star and two-time MVP. Phoenix, which pushed the champion Lakers to six games in last season's Western Conference Finals after a surprisingly-deep postseason run, is 1-2 since having Carter, Pietrus and Gortat in the fold, having lost to Philadelphia and downed Detroit before the inexcusable loss to the league's worst team in the Kings.
Keep Reading... (http://nba.fanhouse.com/2011/01/04/steve-nash-still-with-suns-for-now/)
By Sam Amick
The game itself, once again, did nothing to reveal the number of circles on Steve Nash's tree trunk.
The ageless Phoenix Suns point guard was nearly perfect in a loss to the lowly Sacramento Kings on Sunday night, carving up one of the league's youngest teams with his trademark offensive brilliance. He hit all eight of his shots from the field and both of his free throws en route to a 20-point outing. Nash was his unselfish self with his teammates as well, and perhaps even too selfless this time around.
He passed up an open layup in the final minute that would have cut the deficit to one, firing a pass to new teammate Mickael Pietrus in the right corner for an errant, game-tying 3-point attempt. Still, Nash's scoring combined with 12 assists and just two turnovers was, once again, the kind of point guard play that NBA executives dream of.
But his Suns lost for the eighth time in their last 11 games nonetheless, and the unavoidable truth that Nash is 36 years old was finally evident afterward as he talked to reporters at his locker inside Arco Arena. The once-boyish face was nowhere to be found, replaced by the mug of a man with a 5 o'clock shadow that features as much gray hair as it does brown.
With the way the new-look Suns are looking, the grays aren't going to stop growing anytime soon.
This is why opposing teams aren't convinced the Suns won't trade Nash before the Feb. 24 trade deadline, because the notion that one of the league's brightest diamonds will stay stuck in this desert rough during his twilight years is simply too hard to comprehend. And that skepticism, according to a source who was recently briefed on the Suns' thinking, might still turn out to be warranted.
While the 14-18 Suns made it clear recently that their six-player trade with Orlando was not a precursor to moving Nash, the option is being considered and they are, according to the source, "on the fence" about which direction to go. The next month will be key in the decision-making process, as there is a mixture of belief and hope that the additions of Vince Carter, Pietrus and Marcin Gortat can fortify the defense and help turn the season around in time for a playoff push.
But the Suns are well aware that Nash is their most valuable trade asset when it comes to expediting the rebuilding process, and the continuation of their current slide might speed up their possible decision to part ways with the seven-time All-Star and two-time MVP. Phoenix, which pushed the champion Lakers to six games in last season's Western Conference Finals after a surprisingly-deep postseason run, is 1-2 since having Carter, Pietrus and Gortat in the fold, having lost to Philadelphia and downed Detroit before the inexcusable loss to the league's worst team in the Kings.
Keep Reading... (http://nba.fanhouse.com/2011/01/04/steve-nash-still-with-suns-for-now/)