We're all saying Free Steve Nash (and I do think he should be freed). But, where would he go? I think he'd fit in best with Heat in terms of role and championship chance. But, wouldn't that be like illegal or something? It just sounds so wrong.

What do you guys think would be a realistic scenario that will give Nash a good fit and last shot at the ring?

Dirty Quote from D'Antoni:


"I'm riding him like freakin' Secretariat."

-- Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni, on Jeremy Lin, who played 45 minutes in a win over Utah.

Well JJ, I don't understand what the reason behind not liking the Heat is. Steve Nash on the Heat would be amazing, because if they can manage a trade where the Heat also get Gortat, the Heat would be almost guaranteed to win a championship. Especially with the rookie Norris Cole on the Heat, he could learn a lot from Nash so that when Nash retires Cole is able to take the PG position and immediately become a valued part of the Heat offense.


Considering the Suns are already doing absolutely shitty with 2 great players in Nash and Gortat, if they trade them away they can get lots of good draft picks like Cleveland did this year, and then the Suns can start to compete again in a few seasons.


Also if this happened I think it would be the first time in NBA history that 2 players on the same team were both 2 time league MVPs. That could be some damn fine basketball to watch.

@ Naz--Plus, even if you're not a Heat fan adding Nash would counter Lebron's smugness and make the Heat a likable team. Not to mention some damn fine basketball....

Well JJ, I don't understand what the reason behind not liking the Heat is.

Naz you must be a very well-rested person, having been in a coma all of last year.

Steve Nash on the Heat would be amazing, because if they can manage a trade where the Heat also get Gortat, the Heat would be almost guaranteed to win a championship.

Totally! Why wouldn't the Suns want to throw in one of their only building blocks while they're blowing up the franchise?

Welcome to the Jeremy Lin era, enjoy it while it lasts. You know, another three games at most.

Naz - I actually don't dislike Heat. I've always loved Wade's game and I enjoy watching good basketball. But, to me, ever since "The Decision", LBJ became like Shaq. Very talented, very obnoxious, and not focused on fully reaching his potential (too busy doing off-court crap and generally messing around. Watching someone like LeBron at his best is quite amazing. Yet, his overall persona disgusts me so much that I admit I am biased about things related to him, including Heat. Simply put, I lost all respect for him after "The Decision". Nash is so anti-LeBron that while it makes sense basketball-wise, I can't imagine them being buddies on a team. Then again, Rodman says he never spoke to MJ or Pippen while on the Bulls. So, maybe it doesn't matter. I guess I'm rambling on, but all I can say is that Nash + LeBron somehow just doesn't sound right although theoretically they should be a great team.

deezyL - D'Antoni better ride him if he wants to save his job. Lin needs to work on his shots, but he can play. And I love his enthusiasm. Can't wait to see how he does against better teams.

What the hell are the Heat going to give the Suns to get two borderline all-stars in Nash and Gortat and still keep Norris Cole? Shane Battier's corpse and a bag of shit?

On a more serious note, while Nash certainly helps the Heat because of their deficiencies at the point, he really excels with the ball in his hands 75% of the time. That won't be the case in Miami. We saw from the Terry Porter Experiment that trying to make Nash into a spot-up shooter instead of a facilitator isn't exactly the best idea.

@Naz: Maybe just me, but I don't think you can call Gortat a "great" player.


What always gets me about Nash is how is hits people in rhythm. It's not sufficient to get the ball to your guy: the great PGs hit players in rhythm for a dunk or shot. Such great passes. Uncanny.

The one thing that makes me sad about Dallas winning their championship is that Cuban didn't pay the ultimate price for not retaining Nash. Would they have won more rings with Nash? Sooner? Perhaps not. I could be argued that Cuban wasn't going to win his ring until he shut his freakin yap. Certainly the degree to which the Mavs were jobbed in 06 argues that Stern was determined not to let Cuban win.

Naz,

Are you kidding me?! The Heat get BOTH Nash AND Gortat? For what, the 30th pick in the first round the next two seasons? And maybe Eddy Curry's dirty jock strap too? That'd be a nice throw-in, wouldn't it?

Certainly you're not implying the Suns can "start to compete again in a few seasons" with discarded first round Heat draft picks that will be at or near the end of the first round?

Unbelievable.

If Nash and Gortat were to end up on the Heat via a trade with PHX, you'd better believe Bosh and Cole would be headed back to PHX. Along with a draft pick or two. It's called reality, my friend. Something you clearly have forgotten all about in your South Beach dreamworld.

Great vid. But my god, what a terrible butchering of those songs. I actually had to watch it on mute.

If Nash joined the Heat I think my chest would explode with conflicting emotions.

That said - the Nazgul are almost certain to win a ring. If Nash wins one when they do it would sweeten the pill.

The Heat can't trade for Nash. They would have to give up Wade, Lebron, or Bosh. The Suns are not going to take like Mike Miller and Udonis Haslem for him.

The Bulls are a contender with pieces to give, but Nash's 10M isn't what I would like to see as someone off the bench.

Nash isn't going to the Heat. That conversation needs to die. As a shooter, he'd be a great fit, but he always has the ball in his hands, but either way Miami lacks assets.

JJ - while the assessment about LeBron the person is fine (about why you dislike him), I think it's unfair to say he's not focused on reaching his potential in the sense that he as changed his game quite a bit compared to a few years back. He's worked tirelessly on his midrange, (nearly) stopped taking threes, trained with Hakeem, and has added a bunch of nifty floaters. Physically and mechanically he's better than he was when he won MVP, but it seems there is nothing he can do to himself mentally short of getting a lobotomy, which remains my biggest fear down the stretch. I still see the missed FTs and the hero ball.

(Nonetheless. Free Steve Nash)

Portland. Trade Ray Felton and a couple of scrubs off the bench for the services of Nash. We get a title, Steve gets a title, and the Suns get younger at point and can allow Felton to develop down there with Gortat.

Since a lot of people didn't get what I was talking about, I was saying that since Phoenix is already a shitty team (considering they're 12th in the West right now) they're already in a tailspin that can't be stopped. At this point I feel that it's in Phoenix's best interest to essentially gut the team, focus on being fucking terrible for a few seasons, and gather the draft picks necessary to build a strong team. Look at the Sonics in their last few years in Seattle, the team being gutted lead to the acquisition of Kevin Durant and all the other great talent in Oklahoma right now. I feel that's the way Phoenix should try to go considering the richness of the next few drafts, and how poorly they're performing even with Nash and Gortat.


As far as the Heat getting away with a steal by getting Nash and Gortat for Shane Battier's corpse and a bag of shit, yeah that's the point. Again, it's my belief that the Suns are in a tailspin and you might as well make like the Timberwolves and ride the wave of complete shit until you have a talented enough team to start competing again. It isn't fair to Phoenix fans at all, but when KG left and the Timberwolves began to suck it wasn't fair to Minnesota fans either, but I think they're happy with Kevin Love, Derrick Williams, and Ricky Rubio right now. In the meantime, Nash gets his ring(s), so does Lebron (take that, internet), and fans of basketball return to hating the Lakers. I don't see the negatives here.


Finally, to be really fair, I wouldn't be that adverse to seeing Chris Bosh go to Phoenix in a trade for Nash and Gortat. Bosh seems redundant on the Heat, like he's only there whenever Lebron and Wade want to take a night off/are injured, he's really not that big an inside presence and I feel like a duo of Haslem and Gortat would allow Miami to control the glass and keep Nash/Wade/James focused on scoring.

I like Miami.

I dislike LeBron.

Sending Nash to Miami would mean that if I root for Nash, I would be rooting for LeBron.

No thanks. I'd rather see him rot in PHX than go out like Payton/Walker as a championship piggybacker extraordinaire.

Hey guys, have you seen this JaVale McGee bawfulness? http://www.miscupload.com/upload/482210517657332074775679.gif

Portland is a realistic landing spot for Nash. Not the fucking Heat.

JaVale McGee is not the sharpest tool in the shed
http://ridingthepine.net/blog/JaVale_McGee_-_Space_Cadet/

Nash + Jazz + Sloan = Ring.

Naz, I get your point, but when teams trade their franchise guy due to mediocrity (think KG), they nonetheless try to acquire YOUNG talent. Al Jefferson was solid in Minny (and during his career year tore his ACL and hasn't been the same since) They don't pray the lottery balls bounce their way. Chicago got Rose with a 1.2% chance when they were a near .500 team.

Stockton - I agree with that statement only if Sloan is coming back as a player/coach. =)

Fair enough kazam, but still, I feel that if the Suns are 12th in the Western Conference with Nash putting up an incredible performance night in and night out, the situation is virtually hopeless, I don't know if it's an issue with the franchise except the players, the players but not management, or both, but at this point I really feel like it's time to just scrap everything and start over from scratch.


On a side note I love the Miami hate. I hope they beat all of your favorite teams, and they probably already have. :)

Yeah that's pretty good deal to give one of the best point guard in the league and decent player like Gortat for free.Your love to Miami Heat and Lebron probably disable your thinking.If Phoenix want to give Steve for free they could do that with every other team in the NBA.Why not Lakers or Dallas?

Well of course Naz. That's why we proclaim Free Steve Nash. They should rebuild, but they can do a lot better in terms of pieces than Miami's role players. Nash is too much of an "old school guy" that he refuses to demand a trade at all.

And also, if a Milwaukee fan posts here, then your last statement is false.

Hey, Mr. Bawf, how many guys in the banner are still in the league?
Pretty few, no?

On a side note I love the Miami hate. I hope they beat all of your favorite teams, and they probably already have. :)

Troll level: Anonymous.

The Bucks have fans??

(No offense to any actual Bucks fan that may or may not be out there)

Sorry everyone, but I won't have a chance to post anything tonight since I won't be going straight home after work. However, I WILL at least present you with this...

Worst of the Night in Pictures:

Scott Brooks should be a character if Dave Chappelle ever revives his "World Series of Dice" skit

Omri Casspi's moves are so badass, he warps spacetime

What is this I don't even...

It's not the same thing as a full post, but hopefully it makes you smile a little.

Dan B: Thank you for posting those links. I needed to smile just a little bit.

Speaking as a fellow Israeli who's followed his career since he made the u20 NT, it's not Omri's moves doing that, it's his massive ego.

Hannibal Lecter is playing in the NBA?

Linsanity continues! I love it!

Anybody else see Will Ferrell do the starting lineup last night for Bull / Hornets?
http://youtu.be/zv3bYWuUUng

Will Ferrell FTW!

http://ridingthepine.net/blog/Will_Ferrell_does_game_intro_for_Bulls_vs_Hornets/