Image via WikipediaLess than seven months after the Phoenix Suns came within two wins of reaching the NBA Finals, the franchise’s roster has been overturned so thoroughly that only six players from that title-contending team remain. Even the general manager has left town, not to mention the All-Star forward.
And after the Suns completed a six-player trade with the Orlando Magic on Saturday – exchanging Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu and Earl Clark for Vince Carter, Marcin Gortat and Mickael Pietrus – one question hung over the desert:
Will Steve Nash become the next to go?
The answer, according to the Suns, is no.
“We have no intention of trading Steve,” Suns coach Alvin Gentry told Yahoo! Sports. “The guy is one of the top point guards in the league. I don’t know why we’d consider trading him. The chances of that happening are slim and none.”
Nash’s agent, Bill Duffy, also said Suns owner Robert Sarver told him the team doesn’t have any intention of dealing its All-Star point guard. Nash has one year left on his contract after this season at a reasonable $11.7 million.
“He’s a treasure to the fans there,” Duffy said. “He’s revered there. There is enough of a relationship between Steve Nash and the Suns that if something were to transpire we’d be sure Steve would be involved in the process. Sarver has called me to tell me that nothing is going on with Steve.
“He’s everything. He’s the identity of the organization.”
