It's no surprise that Steve Nash makes himself, his team, and the players around him better, but how do the players who had career stats fare without Nash?

Shawn Marion

Shawn Marion, one of my favorite Suns has had a rough time after leaving the Suns. Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks were traded from the Suns to the Miami Heat for NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal on February 6, 2008. As soon as Marion was traded to the Heat, experts and Pat Riley himself compared the combo to Pippen-MJ. After about 6 months of Marion being a Heat, Riley found out he was wrong. Marion only spent one season with the Heat before he and Marcus Banks were traded to Toronto for Jamario Moon and Jermaine O'Neal. His tenure with the Raptors lasted half a season. He had career low averages Marion was then a free-agent in the 2009 off season. Bryan Colangelo who was the Raptors GM and former Suns GM knew Shawn wanted to play for a winner, he wanted to also keep Marion though, but after Hedo Turkoglu's performance in the 2009 playoffs, Colangelo knew he couldn't pass up Turkoglu. With Turkoglu and Marion both playing the same position Colangelo knew he couldn't keep both. That off season Marion was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in a sign and trade deal. Marion was signed for a 5 year $39 million deal in which he would make 7 million a year, opposed to his old contract where he made 17.5 Million a year. Marion currently is averaging career low stats without Nash. 

STATS with Suns: 17.9 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 1.2 apg (averages)

STATS with Mavericks: 12 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.2 apg

Joe Johnson

Joe Johnson who would be one of the only Suns to improve after leaving Nash was signed by Atlanta in the 2005 off season. Johnson left the Suns due to an argument with Robert Sarver and he wanted a bigger role. The Suns in return received a unprotected 1st round draft pick and Boris Diaw. Johnson currently makes around 15 million a year and averages

STATS with Suns: 17.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 3.5 apg (Best Season)

STATS with Hawks: 21.3,  4.6 rpg, 5 apg

Raja Bell

Raja Bell was signed by the Suns in the 2005 off season, in case of a Joe Johnson departure. Bell was a brilliant 3 throw shooter and besides Marion, was the best defender on the Suns. He is most famous for his clothes line on Kobe Bryant. The Suns traded Bell and Diaw in 2008 for Jason Richardson and Jared Dudley. He was later traded this season in Golden State for Stephen Jackson. Due to injury he was released by the Warriors and is a free agent now

STATS with SUNS: 14.7 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 2.5 apg

STATS with Bobcats: 13 ppg, 4 rpg, 2.5 apg (Has never played full season with a team since being traded from Suns)

Quentin Richardson

Quentin Richardson thrived under the D'Antoni system. Q only spent 1 season with the Suns before being traded for Kurt Thomas to the New York Knicks. He spent 5 seasons with the Knicks until being traded this offseasons to the Memphis Grizzlies then to the LA Clippers, then to the Timberwolves and finally he found a place to call home being traded to Miami. As I am typing them Q just got in a fight with KG during Game 1 of the playoffs.

STATS with Suns: 14.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.2 spg

STATS with Heat: 8.9 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 4.1 apg, .9 spg

Boris Diaw

Boris Diaw was acquired from the Hawks in a trade featuring Joe Johnson. All experts believed it was a horrible trade, the Suns would trade a future all-star guard for a 4 ppg inexperienced bust. Oh were they wrong. Boris Diaw won the M.I.P honors having his best year ever. However overtime Boris Diaw ate too many crescents and gained a lot of weight, his play also began to decline. In 2008 he was traded with Raja Bell for Jason Richardson and Jared Dudley. He has stayed with the Bobcats.

STATS with Suns: 13.3 ppg, 7 rpg, 6.2 apg

STATS with Bobcats: 11.3 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 4.0 apg

Pat Burke

Pat Burke a bench warmer three point shooter comedian played for the Suns for 3 seasons. When his contract was up the Golden State Warriors invited him to their training camp, they soon released him. He then signed with Russian team Khimki BC, where he won a championship averaging 8.2 ppg. In 2009 he signed with a Polish team and played there for 1 season before retiring. 

Part 2 coming soon featuring players such as: James Jones, Eddie House, Shaq