Signing Steve Nash?

[Pound the Rock]

After seeing this post by Doug Smith of the Toronto Star it made me wonder if Nash would be a good fit.

Nash would be more realistic than Deron Williams but Nash is always a gamble due to his age.

 

Hey, Bryan? Steve Nash is your guy, take your best shot

 

--

 

Okay, Bryan? You here?

 

Okay, good.

 

Anyway, after serious consideration and a few conversations around Orlando this weekend and looking at what the other options are, here is the one thing you need to do this summer more than anything else:

 

Throw an awful lot of money at Steve Nash to get him to sign in Toronto.

 

I’m talking two years at least, perhaps $18-22 million with a third year at his option, and you’ve got to try to do whatever it takes to get him to come aboard.

 

It’s a bold move but what the hell, isn’t that what you do?

 

Now, I have no idea whether Nash would even entertain the idea but knowing what I know of him, knowing his circumstances and what’s out there in the league, and after chatting with some folks around all-star weeend, I am 100 per cent confident that he will go into the free agency period with an open mind.

 

We know he loves Toronto as a city, we know he’s not about chasing a championship because he would have done that two years ago or forced a trade already so don’t go into it thinking you’ve got no chance.

 

It may be a huge long shot but you’ve got to take it.

 

It would be a signal to the other players on the team, the other players in the league and a fan base that’s stuck with you through some recent lean times that you’re willing to make a bold move for an immediate return.

 

What’s to lose?

 

Would you rather try to spend your money on Nicolas Batum or Wilson Chandler or Andrei Kirilenko or someone of that ilk? They’re all good players who might help your team and everthing but none of them are even close to Nash.

 

Nash immediately makes DeMar DeRozan better. He immediately makes Andrea Bargnani better. He immediately gets James Johnson better shots and if anyone can make it easy for Jonas Valanciunas to acclimate himself with the NBA on the offensive end, it’s a savvy, skilled point guard who has made a career out of making players better.

 

I bet the coach would love it, too. Your team is already young enough and you’re going to have Valanciunas and another high draft pick coming in anyway, why not get a guy who makes the transition from Europe or college easier for all. And don’t for a second think that Dwane couldn’t devise an offence – and more important, a defence – that would maximize what Nash can do.

 

To me, it’s a no-brainer to at least give it a shot; it hastens the rebuilding or retooling process and, as I mentioned, is a clear sign that you’re serious about getting things changed and changed relatively fast.

 

I’ll get back to you in July when it comes time to spend some of that money you’ve got; until then, think about it, please.

 

http://thestar.blogs.com/raptors/2012/02/hey-bryan-steve-nash-is-your-guy-take-your-best-shot.html

Edited February 28, 2012 by Pound the Rock

[JYD]

Why would Toronto sign Steve Nash? The guy is 38 and they are far from a contender. Continue to build your team through youth and don't throw $ at someone who is only going to play another year or two.

[Art]

If the Raptors were to somehow include Calderon for a legitimate PF or C and they were to sign Nash in the future this team would become even more interesting.

[Nitro]

$20M per year contract for 2 years, and a 3rd year at his discrection? For a [currently] 38 year old PG? On a young, rebuilding team with no hopes of being anything more than a fringe to mid-level playoff team in the immediate future?

 

That'd be suicide for the Raptors, and even with all that money, would be suicide for Nash's career if he has any hopes of being involved in any more deep playoff runs.

[JYD]

$20M per year contract for 2 years, and a 3rd year at his discrection? For a [currently] 38 year old PG? On a young, rebuilding team with no hopes of being anything more than a fringe to mid-level playoff team in the immediate future?

 

That'd be suicide for the Raptors, and even with all that money, would be suicide for Nash's career if he has any hopes of being involved in any more deep playoff runs.

Well put. I was thinking along those lines too. I know Nash is Canadian, but outside of that, it doesn't really make sense for either side IMO.

[DunkinDerozan]

Horrible idea for the Raptors, and an even worse idea for Nash. I don't see any way this would happen. Raptors are a young team who won't be contending for atleast a few years. For Nash, it would be a pretty bad way to waste out the last two years of his career. Although he is from Canada, Toronto is VERY far from his home town of Vancouver, so him going to TO because he's Canadian doesn't make much sense either.

[Built Ford Tough]

$20M per year contract for 2 years, and a 3rd year at his discrection? For a [currently] 38 year old PG? On a young, rebuilding team with no hopes of being anything more than a fringe to mid-level playoff team in the immediate future?

 

That'd be suicide for the Raptors, and even with all that money, would be suicide for Nash's career if he has any hopes of being involved in any more deep playoff runs.

 

Why would Toronto sign Steve Nash? The guy is 38 and they are far from a contender. Continue to build your team through youth and don't throw $ at someone who is only going to play another year or two.

 

What you two aren't taking into consideration is that both Colangelo and Casey were signed to two year contracts with team options for the third year this past summer and the expectation is that the Raptors were to show significant improvement towards making the playoffs in 2012/2013.

 

Colangelo has mentioned it time and time again that he plans on making his move in 2012 after adding Valanciunas and another top draft pick this season. With both his and Casey's job potentiall on the line, they will do whatever they can to win games.

 

Do I like it? No, not really because Nash, despite how good he is, won't put this team over the top, but it is likely what is going to happen. Maybe things will be different now that MLSE is no longer the owner of the team, maybe Bell and Rogers will be more open to allowing the rebuild to continue, who really knows. However, there is only so long that you can continue to trot out a barely NBA calibre roster. Sooner or later you need to make a move so that your young players get a taste of winning.

 

Although he is from Canada, Toronto is VERY far from his home town of Vancouver, so him going to TO because he's Canadian doesn't make much sense either.

 

He is actually from Victoria, not Vancouver.

 

EDIT: Also, a lot of the speculation around Nash finishing his career in Toronto was because of Jay Triano. Triano and Nash have been extremely close for over 20 years and Nash absolutely adores him. A lot of him wanting to play in Toronto was based on him once again playing for Triano, so now that Triano is no longer the coach, he may not care as much about playing for the Raptors.

[DunkinDerozan]

He is actually from Victoria, not Vancouver.

 

EDIT: Also, a lot of the speculation around Nash finishing his career in Toronto was because of Jay Triano. Triano and Nash have been extremely close for over 20 years and Nash absolutely adores him. A lot of him wanting to play in Toronto was based on him once again playing for Triano, so now that Triano is no longer the coach, he may not care as much about playing for the Raptors.

 

Meh, not really that far off.

[Nitro]

What you two aren't taking into consideration is that both Colangelo and Casey were signed to two year contracts with team options for the third year this past summer and the expectation is that the Raptors were to show significant improvement towards making the playoffs in 2012/2013.

 

Colangelo has mentioned it time and time again that he plans on making his move in 2012 after adding Valanciunas and another top draft pick this season. With both his and Casey's job potentiall on the line, they will do whatever they can to win games.

 

Do I like it? No, not really because Nash, despite how good he is, won't put this team over the top, but it is likely what is going to happen. Maybe things will be different now that MLSE is no longer the owner of the team, maybe Bell and Rogers will be more open to allowing the rebuild to continue, who really knows. However, there is only so long that you can continue to trot out a barely NBA calibre roster. Sooner or later you need to make a move so that your young players get a taste of winning.

 

The issue is that giving Nash $20M per year handicaps the team financially to make multiple, high-impact, long-term deals elsewhere on the roster. If you give him MLE money (or even a little more), then sure, it makes more sense for the Raptors. But giving him one of (if not THE) biggest contracts in the NBA is plain stupid. The Raptors, with smart management, could get really good value for that money they'd be giving Nash...probably no star level players, but they could get a lot of quality for that kind of money. And if they throw the $5-10M offer at Nash, I think he will just laugh in their face and head over to a contender...only if the Raptors throw an insane deal that no one would ever dare offer will Nash even consider Toronto as his new home.

[Built Ford Tough]

Lol.

 

So the only way that the Raptors have any chance of Nash even considering signing with them, a team that plays in his home country, a city he loves and spends a lot of time in during the offseason, is run by the GM who played a huge part in drafting him, signed him as a free agent, has a great relationship with and employs his long time mentor/friend only has a chance of signing him if they throw an absurd contract at him?

 

Do I think he will sign with the Raptors? No, I don't, nor do I even really want him to. But to suggest that he will laugh in their face if they offer him $10M or have to pay him $20M a season just to even consider signing with them is an absolute joke.

 

Then again, I don't really expect much else considering the stigma attached to Toronto among basketball circles.

[Nitro]

Lol.

 

So the only way that the Raptors have any chance of Nash even considering signing with them, a team that plays in his home country, a city he loves and spends a lot of time in during the offseason, is run by the GM who played a huge part in drafting him, signed him as a free agent, has a great relationship with and employs his long time mentor/friend only has a chance of signing him if they throw an absurd contract at him?

 

Do I think he will sign with the Raptors? No, I don't, nor do I even really want him to. But to suggest that he will laugh in their face if they offer him $10M or have to pay him $20M a season just to even consider signing with them is an absolute joke.

 

Then again, I don't really expect much else considering the stigma attached to Toronto among basketball circles.

 

It has very little to do with the city of Toronto, and more to do with the franchise of the Raptors. He is 38 years old and has done everything...MVP's to leading his team to the WCF multiple times...the only thing he hasn't done in this league is win a ring. Why the hell would he sign with a team that, even with his signing, would be a huge step below Miami, Chicago and probably NY, and MAYBE be in the same tier as Philly/Indiana/Atlanta? And with that massive of a contract, they'd be hard-pressed to find any additional, quality talent to plug alongside him.

 

He's buddy-buddy with Colangelo and is a Candien native...those are the only ties to him and Toronto. At this paritcular point in his career, especially with him still being so effective, do you REALLY see him going for nostalgia over making one last realistic push at NBA immortality? The ONLY way I see it happening is if Toronto offers him an insane amount of money.

[Built Ford Tough]

Dude, I'm not saying that he is going to Toronto so stop acting like I am.

 

I'm simply saying that it is a possibility based on the connection he has with Colangelo, the country, that he has said plenty of times throughout his career that he would love to play for the Raptors before retires and that he has spoken out against ring chasing more than once within the last two seasons. That is all. To completely ignore the possibility or only consider it as even slightly realistic if the Raptors offer him $20M a season is simply shortsighted.

 

The whole NBA immortality thing is garbage if you ask me. The guy is a Hall of Famer if he retires right now. 20 years from now do you really think people will remember him if he pulls a Gary Payton and hops from contender to contender in a pathetic attempt to win a ring? No, they will remember him for winning 2 MVP's with the Phoenix Suns and as one of the greatest playmakers and shooters the league has ever seen, just like nobody even gives a rats ass that Gary Payton won a ring in 06. Sure, Nash would likely play a larger role than Payton did, but winning a ring with the Lakers at the tail end of his career wouldn't really do that much for his career.

 

Do people really look at Kidd differently know that he won a ring? When arguing who was the better player between the two do people bring up Kidd's ring? No, they don't. Kidd's NBA immortality was established long before winning a ring last season, just like Nash's already is.

 

The bottom line is that some players don't want to go ring chasing and would rather stay where they are happy. Reggie Miller never went ring chasing, Grant Hill had the opportunity to this summer but decided to stay in Phoenix because he was happy there, John Stockton didn't, Geroge Gervin didn't, etc...

 

Who's to say that Nash would rather just finish out his career with a franchise where he would be happy? Whether that is in Phoenix, Toronto or in a South African semi-pro league, I don't really care one way or another, but not all players feel the need to go ring chasing.

[Nitro]

If he goes anywhere that isn't a contender, it will be in Phoenix IMO. He has built his legacy there, the excellent training staff has helped keep his body in tip-top shape as he nears 40, and he seems to love the franchise and its fanbase. I don't think him being buddies with Colangelo and the simple fact that he's Candien will hold much weight when he decides on his future, and I certainly don't see him pulling out of what he built for a fairly lateral move as far as team success is concerned (don't get me wrong, Toronto would have plenty more upside than Phoenix, but not enough to make a splash in the playoffs).

 

And winning a championship is the ultimate goal for an NBA player, especially a guy like Nash who has racked up pretty much every individual accolade there is. He is not a broken down, former star that can only grab the vet minimum on a contender. He is still playing at an All-Star level, and you can still argue he is the best offensive PG in the game. Wherever he goes he will make a big impact. Reggie Miller was on a fringe contender up until the day he retired, and he even tried to get on the Celtics during the year they won the title. For every John Stockton, there is about 20 Gary Payton's.

 

I just don't see it as a possibility unless Toronto offers something that no other team will, which is a massive contract. And if Toronto did that, they'd be complete idiots.

 

PS- When I talk about him playing for a "contender", I don't just mean teams like Miami or LA. Teams like Atlanta, Porltand and Indiana would be STELLAR fits for him, and he'd possibly be the best player on each of those teams. With him, any of those teams could make a serious title push, especially Portland.

Edited February 29, 2012 by Nitro

[Dash]

Probably not the best way to go but if the Raptors end up with a top 3 pick in this year's top heavy draft...then by all means go for it. The Raptors would have their franchise player in Harrison Barnes (just throwing him out there since he makes the most sense) and a top prospect in a rather weak position leaguewide in Jonas Valanciunas. Throw in Andrea Bargnani, DeMar DeRozan and Ed Davis and its not too bad of a team going forward without Steve Nash.

 

Sign Steve Nash, get a young team a taste of winning, and probably save the job of the best coach Toronto has had in a while (if he truly would be in the hot seat if the team doesn't make the playoffs in 2013). Nash would retire after 2 seasons but at least the team has a future without him.

 

But if the Raptors end up with say Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, which is much more likely (although the Raptors do have the 6th best odds of ending up with a top 3 pick), then this would be a horrible move.

Edited February 29, 2012 by Dash