The Phoenix Suns now have two GM's named Steve
by Seth Pollack on May 19, 2009 7:47 PM MDT
in Phoenix Suns Commentary
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This is a pretty amazing story coming out of Steve Nash's agent Bill Duffy via the Arizona Republic.
According to Duffy, Nash is willing to entertain the idea of a two year extension with the Suns but is looking for veto power over the team's off season decisions. Oh, and he wants a raise too so when he's 37 and 38 he will be making more then the $13m he's slated to get next season.
"This is kind of a perplexing time because he (Nash) absolutely wants to win and he loves the Phoenix market but all the pieces have to line up properly," Duffy said. "We just want to wait and see what their game plan is so we can sign off on it. We respect their willingness to extend his contract but we also are very cognizant of the team dynamic to make sure it will work in terms of Steve's goals, which are to win a championship."
Basically, Steve Nash just told the Suns to go screw themselves. Or at least Bill Duffy publicly fired that shot across the bow.
I don't see how this helps Nash to have this out in the open. Would and should the Suns consult with him prior to making any big moves? Sure, of course they should just like they did when Nash signed off on the Shaq trade (but apparently not before the Porter hiring or Diaw/Bell deal which made Steve upset).
Nash deserves to play out his final years where ever he wants. If he doesn't want to be in Phoenix any more then that's fine but the Suns shouldn't allow any player to publicly hold them hostage and demand veto power over their personnel decisions. Steve is a part owner in a women's soccer club. He can make all the player decisions he wants to with that team.
To demand this kind of say in the organization's future when he will at best be in Phoenix for only 3 more years is not acceptable. To ask for an increase over his current contract in the final years of his career is not reasonable. If Nash isn't willing to accept a lessor role and an appropriate contract for his age and with his known back issues then the Suns need to consider walking away.
And by the way, since when were Steve's goals winning a championship? Here's what he said in his post season press conference:
"If we are contender that's where everyone wants to be but I think right now I would be happy just to be part of a really positive and optimistic atmosphere. Be part of team that is really on the same page, plays together, plays hard every night and makes the season exciting for one another and for the fans. You may say I am lowering my expectations but I think that's a great place to start.,,,Sometimes its difficult to start playing the band aid game and always just trying to put a band aid over a problem. For me, I would be happy to be in Phoenix on a team that has great energy and chemistry and everyone's pulling together and playing for one another. That for me would be fine and undoubtedly we would be successful with that type of atmosphere regardless of how much talent we had."
I'm guess Bill Duffy didn't hear this quote before spouting off about Nash wanting to "win a championship".
As for what Steve (Nash) is looking for Steve (Kerr) to do, here's the guidance:
"All I can say about that is maybe it's better we didn't make it and gloss over some of our deficiencies and some of the improvements we need to make. We squeeze in to the playoffs and every one says 'ah it wasn't so bad, everything's ok' whereas now we will have to take a really good look at everything individually and collectively so we put ourselves in a better position."
It is not clear exactly what specific improvements he has in mind but he did feel that with a full season under Gentry with everyone playing one way that the Suns would be a much better team. He also didn't discount the need to improve defensively adding,
"We need to add a few defenders to our mix. A couple of guys who's forte is defense. Active big guys that can take up a lot of space with their athleticism and energy. Easier said then done."
Between Amare's need to be held and hugged, Shaq's desire to make more money by pimping an MLM crap product and now Nash demanding a raise and veto power over the organization...
Yes, Steve Kerr and Robert Sarver have made a lot of bad decisions. Turning over the front office reigns to your point guard is not the answer. Sarver and Kerr need to decide who's team this really is.
It's time to play hard ball with Mr. Duffy and his client.
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Bill Duffy is just doing his job...
which is to get as much money for his client (and hence himself) as possible. Ignore Bill Duffy.
But, you know what? All star players have this kind of power. You don’t think the Lakers run trades past Kobe, the Cavs past LeBron, the Heat past DWade, Celtics & Pierce, or the Hornets past Chris Paul ?? and so on…
Personally, I think this is a good sign… it means that Nash wants to win a championship, doesn’t want to be any part of a team going through the motions (50 wins and a 1st round exit), and wants to make sure that any trades make sense. Given the recent trade history of this team, I don’t blame him.
As a professional, he’s perfectly within his rights, and in fact has an obligation, to demand that the organization steps up and provide him with the best environment in which he can succeed. Even if he has to act like a prick for that to happen.
But, this is no different to any other company, especially in the tech arena, where key performers, because those are the guys doing the actual work, demand resources and people to help projects succeed. Because to be on the opposite end of that, where you don’t have the right people to complete a project, or your co-workers and managers don’t give a shit, or are busy doing their own thing, is both soul-destroying and a recipe for disaster
Basketball players are not whores. The relationship is not one where because they get paid, they have to take it in the ass, and like it. Metaphorically or otherwise.
"True glory consists of doing what deserves to be written, and writing what deserves to be read".
by Pliny the Elder on May 19, 2009 8:17 PM MDT reply actions
Yes
He should have a say. So should Grant and probably Shaq too. That good management. You engage your key people and get their buy in to the decisions. That’s how I run things myself.
But what Duffy said is “We just want to wait and see what their game plan is so we can sign off on it.”
Sign off on it. That’s not having a say. That’s going to far.
But you’re right. This is Duffy and not Nash and like I said, I don’t think he’s helping his client by making this public. This should all be done behind closed doors.
As for winning. I wish it were so but Nash has been consistent in saying that winning isn’t his priority. Just b/c Duffy says it is now doesn’t make it so. By taking this public, he’s saying that Nash doesn’t trust the organization to make the right decisions and he’s holding the team hostage. He could have easily just said that negotiations are on-going as Steve is spending time traveling with his family, etc. Or perhaps a little stronger and just say that Nash wanted to wait and see how things play out before making any decisions.
Saying that Nash wants to “sign off” on moves is over the top.
Blogging Suns Basketball
by Seth Pollack on May 19, 2009 8:25 PM MDT up reply actions
Probably a bad choice of words..
What Duffy is saying is clear though.. “Lets see what trades & drafts the team makes, and then Steve will decide if he wants to be a part of that or move on.”.
And don’t mischaracterize what Nash has said in the past, which is that if he doesn’t win a championship, he won’t consider his career a failure. That’s a lot different to saying he doesn’t care about winning, or even that it doesn’t consume him to some degree.
My take is that he’s actually deeply frustrated by not winning, and by a team, that despite being hyper-talented on paper, and with great off-court chemistry, can’t get it together on court. He’s still the guy who kept playing against the Spurs despite a cut that would have stopped any boxer. All the crap that the Suns went through, this season, has been precisely because of a deep seated need by Nash, Hill and the others to win.
If he didn’t care, he’d just take the money and run to NYC or Toronto. If Nash does leave, it will be to somewhere like Portland or the Lakers, where he will have a real opportunity to contend.
But I think your take on showing Nash courtesy, by consulting him on trades is somewhat naive, for want of a better phrase. This is a players league, and the stars such as Kobe, LeBron, DWade, Duncan, Nash, Paul, Pierce, etc…. wield the most power, because they put the fans in seats, and attract the TV coverage, aside from any actually winning. Any consultation has to be more than just courtesy.
And that’s been the case, ever since I can remember. Magic Johnson got Paul Westhead, a coach with whom he’d won a title, fired. Similarly, Bird & Kevin McHale got Bill Fitch (another guys who had just won a title with them) fired. Jordan & Pippen treated Jerry Krause like complete shit.
You can’t have it both ways. If you want a player to have that burning desire to win, then the perfectionism and general asshole-like behavior come with the territory. If you want the player to STFU, and know his place, then he won’t have the fire.
"True glory consists of doing what deserves to be written, and writing what deserves to be read".
by Pliny the Elder on May 19, 2009 8:51 PM MDT up reply actions
You are correct sir
It is indeed a players league but I look at the teams that are most successful and they lack this kind of…stuff.
I know the Spurs are hated around here but can you imagine something like this coming from Tim Duncan’s people?
Kobe certainly spouted off on numerous occasions and he’s taken a lot of flack for it. You are right that it shows a desire to win although I disagree that’s what’s most important to Nash. He’s said things like this too many times. He’s interested in having great energy and chemistry and he certainly competes within each and every game (although I am not the only one that thinks he had a passive aggressive streak there this season).
Publicly demanding veto power is different then STFU and knowing his place. There has to be a middle ground that respects both sides and this blast from the agent went too far.
Regardless, the idea of giving him a raise for his final two years makes no sense to me as it ties up too much salary in a guy that at that point in his career isn’t likely to be leading this team anywhere.
I wonder if Nash has already made his decision that he doesn’t want to stay and this is just part of the process.
Blogging Suns Basketball
by Seth Pollack on May 19, 2009 10:37 PM MDT up reply actions
Maybe it’s the opening shot in a new contract negotiations. You can always go down in price but not up.
Maybe unlike Timmy he feels his voice may not be heard in the side show that is the Phx Suns. Think Shaq and Amare.
Maybe he is trying to preemptive strike another bad move eg Porter or low balling him on the money part of his new contract.
Even if these are possible motives it’s a bad move and I like the guy and his basketball even if he writes for the Guardian sometimes.
He’s not worth the money for the reason pointed out by you.
But he has managed to make Kerr look better than himself.
I think you're reading too much into Duffy's comments.
I went back and re-read the article. I don’t think Steve’s asking for a veto, in writing as part of his contract. To quote Coro’s Article:
“Before he signs off on any type of extension, he would like to see tangibly what their plans are and, if not, I think that we should probably talk about alternatives, which may include him not being there," Duffy said.
That likely means Nash would like a voice in Suns’ decisions, as he had when he backed trading Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks for Shaquille O’Neal. After the season, Nash said the Suns needed active big men who defend well, and also energetic athletes.
To me, that just reiterates what I said before. The guy really wants to win, and after years of not quite getting there, he wants to see if the organization is actually committed to winning a title before he himself commits to the organization. Because he’s running out of time.
Now, if he does have the same input on personnel decisions, that he had with Mike (which really was a do it/don’t do it kind of thing), then that would give him a de-facto veto, because no organization wants to piss off it’s star player. Just as it would for Kobe, LeBron, and any other major player. But doesn’t anybody here wish someone in the organization had applied the brakes, even a little, to the Boris/Raja trade? I know I was unhappy about it at the time.
Rosewood is right in this respect: all star players have an ego, and think they know what to do. Sometimes, though, they’re not completely wrong.
"True glory consists of doing what deserves to be written, and writing what deserves to be read".
by Pliny the Elder on May 20, 2009 11:28 AM MDT up reply actions
Wasnt Kobe.
Darting off at the mouth and only stopped due to the fact that they improved the team based on his demands? Now look at them?
TO THE NBA - " Yeah, you have created a rift within me ; Now there have been ; several complications ; that have left me feeling nothing ; I might say, you were ; wrong to take it from me ; Left me feeling nothing " - Disturbed, "Numb"
Where do you get Steve Nash the GM?
If most people here had their way, the team would be gutted and we’d be in rebuilding year. Why would any player in their declining years want to be a part of that? He doesn’t want veto powers he wants to know the team is going to be competitve and is going to have good chemistry, which could be a doozy because the team has pretty much been replacing 2 rotation players and the entire back of the bench each year since he’s been here.
I actually like this
I’ve always loved to entertain the thought of Nash being a player-coach. There is no denying this guy’s talent and vision. Now his hunger is starting to show. This seems to me like he’s getting very frustrated with being so close and so far.
This is Nash’s team; there is no doubt about it. I dont mind giving him the next few years and piece together what he feels is the winning combo. Nobody is going to know what the team needs more than the captain. Nobody is out on the floor more than him. I think we should trust the man. We’ve given him all of our love and praise, now lets give him some trust.
You think you can make it happen, Nash? Show us!
Whats the worst that happens? We miss the playoffs again? Maybe we’ll get a better lotto pick than 14.
Just remember
what happened when they gave D’Antoni that kind of power using the same theory. Marcus Banks. Selling draft picks. Diaw’s over sized extension.
Some guys are paid to play. Some guys are paid to make these decisions for the organization. Decisions that have an impact for a longer period of time then how long Nash is going to play.
Blogging Suns Basketball
by Seth Pollack on May 19, 2009 8:26 PM MDT up reply actions
i'll take it!
And then player/coach/gm after that contract!
by Whidbey Bronco on May 20, 2009 6:20 AM MDT up reply actions
I had already stopped drinking the Steve Nash Koolaid a year and a half ago and this drives the nail through the coffin for me even being a fan of his. He’s just an egotistic chump. Please Kerr trade him for young talent. Get something while we can.
Take care of the little things, and the big things will take care of themselves.
chump
maybe we could trade u and kerr for two towels and a waterboy!
by Whidbey Bronco on May 20, 2009 6:21 AM MDT up reply actions
Trade me to the Lakers!
Take care of the little things, and the big things will take care of themselves.
I don't think so
I’m a Phoenix Suns fan, not a Steve Nash fan. My loyalty lies with the team, not with any individual player, so I don’t mind at all if Nash is gone for someone younger. Nash isn’t going to be able to play forever and he’s not from what I can tell a winner. If he was, he’d take the time to learn all facets of the game of basketball and not just rely on his offense and let the team play 4 on 5 on the other end of the court.
So when I hear stuff like this crap, it makes it very easy to find my feelings about the guy. We need team players, winners, guys who will get down and dirty doing the little things that it takes to win championships. Nash and Amare aren’t those guys. No one on our basketball team should be a number one. Until we get a number one, Nash and Amare aren’t going to do us any good.
Take care of the little things, and the big things will take care of themselves.
:(
So long, Steve. It’s been fun.
Steve Nash, the league's MVP, is a longhaired Canadian who spoke out against the war in Iraq and reads The Communist Manifesto. Quentin Richardson declared after a game-winning shot that it "was like Hamlet. It was a suspense thriller, and I killed them at the end." Amare Stoudemire, when asked to comment on a 22-point third quarter against the Kings, said, "I've got a tendency to jump over some guys' heads and throw it down."
Have a nice time in Portland.
If Kerr paid Nash over 13M per year for the next 3 years I would probably light a turd on fire outside his office. That would be ridiculous.
Let's hear it from Nash
Before I make judgements on Nash and reevaluate my opinion of him, I want to hear some kind of confirmation from him backing up Duffy’s statements. As doubtful as this may sound, this could all be smoke by Duffy (though like I said, highly doubtful). I guess I just really want to hear Nash echo his the claims of his agent. Cal me an idealistic SOB but this is just what I’m looking for. However, my preparations for the departure of Nash had better swing from Level 4 to Level 9.5.
Good stuff; I agree that Nash shouldn’t have veto power. However, I agree with Pliny The Elder that this might just be his agent using poorly-chosen words; it would make sense that Nash would want an idea of how the team will look before he decided to come back, but that doesn’t necessarily translate into front-office control.
P.S. He’s actually a part owner of a men’s soccer team (the Vancouver Whitecaps) , a women’s soccer team (the Whitecaps Women) and a women’s soccer league (the WPS).
Editor of www.sportingmadness.blogspot.com.
Whitecaps correspondent for 24thminute.com.
by Andrew Bucholtz on May 19, 2009 10:33 PM MDT reply actions
Trade with Wizards
Trade Nash to the Wiz for Etan Thomas/Andray Blatch/#5 pick(Harden)
They’ve already said they would consider trading for a veteran leader. Well, Nash is your guy.
This seems completely out of character
But at the same time Duffy’s not some young gun agent trying to cut his first big deal.
It’s already debatable that Nash wouldn’t be worth extending at his current salary, but the thought of giving him more money is just silly. We’ve always known and basically accepted Nash’s weak D, but I get nauseous thinking about Nash trying to check any of the playoff points. The way the Rockets were able to take the Laker’s to 7 by abusing Fish/Farmar/Brown, the Cavs running their offense based on whoever was being guarded by Bibby, if we’re looking to improve our defense the easiest move would be not resigning our worst defender.
Ah cmon guys...
I dont think this is so bad. I mean, consider if you are Nash. For 3 years you had a great team where everyone loved to play and have fun on the court. Even better, you ran a lot and won a lot. Exit Mike and enter Porter and all that changes. Then trade your two best friends away. I mean, Nash didnt have any fun this season at all and that was obvious. The guy wants to play but realizes that if he stays in the familiar situation of PHX without the great feelings he used to have then he will always be nostalgic and end up resenting PHX more than anything. This is good thinking on his part. He doesn’t want to be stuck here for 3 more years if they are going to rebuild. Why end a career on that note? He wants what we all want, reassurance that the decisions Kerr makes (which haven’t all been spectacular) are going to be good decisions. He is using the only bargaining chip he has and doing so magnificently. We shouldn’t trade him just because he wants security for the team. The notion is ridiculous.
Go read a book!
I think
what’s going on here is that Suns fans have always had the impression that Nash was a different kind of superstar. So when he starts acting like a normal Kobe-esque superstar, those same fans don’t know what to do.
Purchasing my Dragic jersey
I would flip that
and say that if Nash is going to act like a normal Kobe-esque superstar then he is subject to be treated by the fans in the same way and not be given the kid-glove treatment.
I think this really comes down to a simple question. Simple to ask anyway.
How much value will Nash bring to the team on and off the court in the 2010/11 and 2011/12 seasons?
If you think he’s still going to be a superstar at that point in his career and you think that fans will love him (and pay to see him) in those years then you pay him and you give him what he wants including the right to “sign off” on personnel decisions.
I don’t think he has the leverage at this point to make these kinds of demands and you have to think that Duffy knows that which is way taking this public doesn’t seem to make much sense as a negotiating tactic.
Blogging Suns Basketball
by Seth Pollack on May 20, 2009 10:12 AM MDT up reply actions
I agree
I wasn’t saying don’t treat Nash like Kobe. Actually, I thought I was saying that those fans who always thought he was different were probably misguided and that’s why this thread has a particular tone of resentment toward Nash. He hasn’t lived up to expectations (i.e. the expectation to be the non-Kobe), so people are hurt and not unjustifiably angry. Whereas if Kobe or Amare said this, people would be annoyed but less vigorous about it, because they just expect that sort of thing.
But I guess my view is that I never thought Nash was that different, so I look at this as I would Kobe mouthing off. Superstars are divas, so you should expect them to act like that, and I don’t think there’s any exceptions to that. If anything Nash was only different for a while because he wasn’t used to being a superstar.
A last note: This is not a player’s league. It’s a stars’ league. I don’t think Brian Skinner or Kevin Ollie really feel like they have much authority.
Purchasing my Dragic jersey
WTF are you talking about??.. Lakers fans *worship* Kobe..
as does the sports media. Even the Colorado incident had nearly no effect on his career.
"True glory consists of doing what deserves to be written, and writing what deserves to be read".
by Pliny the Elder on May 20, 2009 11:35 AM MDT up reply actions
Stan and I are talking about
how Suns fans view Kobe not how Lakers’ fans view Kobe.
Suns fans, at least here, more or less think of Kobe as all that is evil in regard to superstars. They think Nash is different.
Maybe he isn’t or at least not as different as they had hoped so maybe they should view him as they view Kobe.
Purchasing my Dragic jersey
fair enough..
I misunderstood what you were saying.
But I don’t think Nash himself, has done anything but reinforce a commitment to winning a championship. And I’m not sure, in this case, that we should treat Bill Duffy’s words as a reliable proxy for Nash’s thoughts.
"True glory consists of doing what deserves to be written, and writing what deserves to be read".
by Pliny the Elder on May 20, 2009 11:46 AM MDT up reply actions
Maybe
But also remember that these are people too, not just commodities. Nash has a family that wants to stay in AZ but he is trying to look out for them in other ways. We should factor into his value the worth of Nash as a person and his family. Maybe thats the off-court value stuff you said…I dont know
Go read a book!
There have been no 7/11 parking lot rants from Nash, so far..
Bear in mind, the only person doing any kind of public talking is Bill Duffy.. And that’s his job. To play hardball.
Don’t confuse what Bill Duffy says, with what Steve Nash says.
"True glory consists of doing what deserves to be written, and writing what deserves to be read".
by Pliny the Elder on May 20, 2009 11:39 AM MDT up reply actions
I rarely
distinguish players from the actions of their agents. They are responsible for those actions insofar as the actions have to do with the representation.
That’s what agency means. You get to act, in representation of me, within the scope of authority I grant you.
So if Bill Duffy is selling crack on the side, Nash has nothing to do with that. If Duffy is playing “hardball” in his representation of Nash, that’s on Nash because he hired him to do precisely that. If Nash has different thoughts, he needs to express them. Otherwise this stands as his expression, because agents do speak for principles and I won’t excuse a player who tries to excuse himself by having an agent do his dirty work.
Purchasing my Dragic jersey
Except that all lot of the criticism of Nash, in this thread has to do with nuance
i.e. how these ideas are being expressed. The criticism is actually about the heavy handed way Duffy spoke, and the crude way it was reported.
If Nash had come out himself and said something like: “We’re in the process of negotiations, so I really can’t say much except to say that my decision will take strong account of how well the organization’s and my goals for winning a championship align.”, nobody would give a hoot, except for those unfortunate souls who think that players should be seen and not heard, or those panicky people who think Steve might leave Phoenix, and that would be the end of the world.
To be honest, I think any player, especially a former MVP, has every right before he signs a new contract, to ask himself whether he will be fulfilled playing for a given team, and if not, move on. And that is all Bill Duffy was quoted saying.
Should Bill Duffy, have talked to Paul Coro. Probably not, but I don’t think what he actually said in the quote above, is anything earth shattering. All he did was to remind everyone that Nash has options, in these negotiations, including the ability to find employment elsewhere, if need be. The worst thing you can accuse Bill Duffy of is speaking clumsily.
Is that what you’re outraged about ??
I’d point out, the last time Nash tried to be loyal to an organization during a contract negotiation, they told him to fuck off. And neither his agent nor he has done the Kobe flirtation of saying out loud he’s thinking about maybe signing with other teams, including the Clippers.
Are you just as outraged at LeBron’s continual flirtation with New York, while he’s still under contract with the Cavs??
"True glory consists of doing what deserves to be written, and writing what deserves to be read".
by Pliny the Elder on May 20, 2009 12:22 PM MDT up reply actions
I'm not outraged at all.
I think superstars generally (and probably most players) are divas, so I don’t expect much in the way of loyalty or team spirit. Even the venerable Tim Duncan was ready to join the Magic if the Spurs hadn’t given him a max contract.
So I think the outrage issue is for other folks. I was just saying I think people are getting upset here, because this statement doesn’t comport well with the image most people have of Nash (that I don’t share).
And once again I don’t really care if Duffy or Nash said it. In terms of Nash’s contract negotiations, they’re the same person and for Nash to request a raise (which I think is the real startling fact here) at his age and current salary is nothing short of selfish.
I’m not saying that’s unique or outrageous—I expect him to be selfish—but I would say that only a diva could reasonably ask for that.
As far as the “signing off” aspect, sure I wouldn’t say that’s unfair. But let’s keep in mind what it means at best: Nash is not about the Suns winning a championship; he is about himself winning a championship, and as far as those two don’t coincide Nash has no loyalty to the Suns and that’s selfish even if unremarkable.
I would say you probably shouldn’t confuse the selfless impulse to help a specific team win a championship (either now or in the long term) at any cost with the selfish impulse to be on a championship team at any cost. I would say Nash has the latter interest.
As far as Lebron goes, I don’t look at him differently at all, which means I’m also not outraged.
As you can see, I don’t really have much appreciation for the team aspect of the NBA. The day I see a superstar take like a 5 year 20M contract, I’ll consider it, but that just ain’t going to happen.
The great teams, like SA, have simply found ways to satisfy all the diva needs of their players that then allows them to play as a team. But, to be sure, that satisfaction is fragile.
Purchasing my Dragic jersey
I agree
re: Agency. Nash can’t hide behind that. He has all the power in the world to correct anything said on his behalf that is wrong and he is responsible for what his agent says.
I can tell you as far as word choice the Coro told me that Duffy used the term “sign off” twice during their conversation. It wasn’t a slip of the tongue.
Blogging Suns Basketball
by Seth Pollack on May 20, 2009 1:12 PM MDT up reply actions
But what does that phrase mean ?? really?
Lets see the quote:
“This is kind of a perplexing time because he (Nash) absolutely wants to win and he loves the (Phoenix) market but all the pieces have to line up properly,” Duffy said. “We just want to wait and see what their game plan is so we can sign off on it. We respect their willingness to extend his contract but we also are very cognizant of the team dynamic to make sure it will work in terms of Steve’s goals, which are to win a championship.”
It’s clear that what Duffy means here is something along the lines of is if Steve likes and believes what he hears from the front office, with regard to their plan to win a championship, then he will commit themselves to the team and it’s plan, and sign an extension.
It’s really that simple. It doesn’t mean that Nash demanded a veto in personnel decisions, during the season, or to be a de-facto GM. Context is really important here.
Stan, I hold you in the highest regard, but you did this with the Cuban story: going out of your way to find something sensational and stir up outrage out of what is fundamentally a mundane story. Here, the worst thing you can accuse Duffy of is clumsy phrasing.
"True glory consists of doing what deserves to be written, and writing what deserves to be read".
by Pliny the Elder on May 20, 2009 1:31 PM MDT up reply actions 1 recs
ok.. I'll buy that to a point.
but vis-a-vis the selfless vs selfish point, I think Nash is somewhere in the middle. I don’t think there’s any real evidence to suggest that he’s a championship at any cost kind of guy. Otherwise, he’d leave and go to the Lakers, Spurs, Celtics or Cavs for a veterans minimum. My goodness, he’d make a boatload of money in endorsements if he went to the Lakers.
From my viewpoint, I think all he wants is to know, in concrete terms, that the Suns are going to be truly competitive, in the upcoming season. I think he’s worried, because he has a history of being in organizations where successful teams get dismantled, where player turnover is high, and where fundamentally the team doesn’t have the right collection of personnel. I don;’t think last season did anything to quell his fear of turmoil.
As for the raise, I can only say that it’s his agent’s job to get fair value for someone who is still an actual top 5 point guard, and is #13 in jersey sales (and still puts people in seats), regardless of age.
Is that player worth more than the $12.25M he made this year.. probably, but the final salary will be somewhere between what he’s asking for and what the organization is offering right now, and until that contract is signed, it’s all posturing.
As an aside, the 4 point guards who made more money than him this year are Kidd, Marbury, Bibby and Arenas, and I don’t think I’d take any one of those guys ahead of Steve.
"True glory consists of doing what deserves to be written, and writing what deserves to be read".
by Pliny the Elder on May 20, 2009 1:15 PM MDT up reply actions
I'd agree with that too
There probably is a spectrum of selfishness and while Nash maybe isn’t the angel we thought he was, he probably isn’t a complete mercenary like Marbury either.
As far as Nash as a Top 5 PG, that’s a good question that’s probably worth a whole other post. Not in the long term, but just in terms of value for the upcoming 2009-2010 season, where does Nash rank?
To me, it’s clear he’s behind Paul, Williams (Deron), and Parker. But after that it’s tough. You have guys like Nash, Rondo, D. Harris, Kidd, Rose, Calderon, Billups, B. Davis, Arenas, and A. Miller.
For me, I’d probably put Nash behind Rondo and Billups but slightly ahead of Calderon, Harris, and Kidd. Tough topic though. You could probably argue for Nash at 4 as well.
Purchasing my Dragic jersey
depends which Nash we're talking about.
I think in the second 1/2 of the season, under Alvin, he showed he still has the game to compete at the highest level.
Anyway, I concur with with the order of your 1st 3 picks, and I’d put Rondo ahead of Nash on that list. Watching the playoffs, has lead me to the conclusion that Rondo’s best, might be the best game of all the point guards in the league right now, but he isn’t consistent enough, imho, to place at the top. I’d tie him with Parker on your list, mainly because he’s a better defender and better rebounder.
"True glory consists of doing what deserves to be written, and writing what deserves to be read".
by Pliny the Elder on May 20, 2009 4:48 PM MDT up reply actions
Sounds like a request for a sign-and-trade to me
1. A say in what the team he will play for looks like, and
2. A request for an extension with more moola
Mmmmm ... Guinness
Portland!
Bayless/Miles/Outlaw + pick for Nash!
Won’t happen but who cares!
Purchasing my Dragic jersey
+1 Piny
It really is simple. Kerr needs Nash more than Nash needs Kerr. Nash has one style. Nash has options, They already failed at making him a different player. If they want to go in a different direction he wants to check out. He would be a fool not to force them to get him some defensive help.
His agent however, being an idiot, has exposed a certain lack of respect for the Kerr regime, which should have remained out of the public eye .
Still, this trumping of the hierarchy is needed when you are smarter than your boss.
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