DALLAS -- Dallas Mavericks free agent guard Steve Nash reached a verbal agreement Thursday night to sign with the Phoenix Suns, ESPN.com's Marc Stein has learned. Nash and agent Bill Duffy, according to league sources, received an offer from Phoenix on Thursday -- believed to be a five-year package worth more than $65 million with a partial guarantee for the sixth season -- and brought it back to the Mavericks. Mavs owner Mark Cuban, sources said, declined to match the offer. "It's exciting, but it's also a little bittersweet," Nash told ESPN.com. "I am really sad to leave my teammates, but I am glad to be going somewhere where they really wanted me." Mavericks sources said Cuban was reluctant to give Nash more than a four-year guaranteed contract because of fears the 30-year-old couldn't physically handle playing more than 32 minutes per game. No deals can be formally signed until July 14, when the salary cap for next season is set. Teams and free agents can only reach verbal agreements during the league's two-week moratorium on signings and trades. Nash had met with Cuban in Dallas on Wednesday morning and then was greeted by a traveling Suns delegation that included chairman Jerry Colangelo, son and team president Bryan Colangelo, new owner Robert Sarver, coach Mike D'Antoni, former NBA player and Suns minority owner Steve Kerr, former Suns player and current scout Rex Chapman and forward Amare Stoudemire, a client of Duffy's. Wednesday, Duffy said, "It was a good meeting [with Cuban]. Mark made it very clear that re-signing Steve is a priority." The Suns originally drafted Nash in 1996 and he never sold his home in the Phoenix area. Bringing in Nash eliminates the Suns from the Kobe Bryant derby. On Wednesday night, it was reported that Phoenix was prepared to offer Bryant a six-year deal worth over $100 million.
interesting, I thought he would be a Mav next year...well I guess that is one team us Laker fans dont ahve to worry about Kobe going to...I am actually really shocked Cuban didnt match.
That's great for the suns, they get a veteran, and very skilled pointgaurd, to lead their team, and at the same time hopefully tutor the younger point gaurds they have. Maybe they'll get it together next year with nash, and make a run at the playoffs.
I knew he would either stay in Dallas or go to Phoenix. Pheonix lineup looks pretty good. PG - Nash SG - Johnson SF - Marion PF - Stoudamire C - Clark I don't know if they have enough money but they should go after Okur then he could start at center.
Yeah, that lineup doesn't look too bad. Just depends if they can work together real good to be playoff contenders. Nash and Stoudamire, the next Kidd and Martin?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting glendaleMVP:</div><div class="quote_post">Yeah, that lineup doesn't look too bad. Just depends if they can work together real good to be playoff contenders. Nash and Stoudamire, the next Kidd and Martin?</div> I doubt they're the next Kidd/Martin, but the two could work nicely together. It wil be interesting to see how the Suns do next year with the new lineup. I don't think they have any extra money or trades they can do to get any different players, so you can probably expect that to be next season's lineup.
The Suns have a great team and probably will be in the playoffs, too bad the west is too crowded with good teams. Steve Nash is one of the best point guards, it's going to be sad to see him without Dirk and Finley by his side, they were awesome together
The suns went from a team with veterans with large contracts and not going anywhere too far, to a team with cap room, and great young talent to build around... They somehow got rid of Googs, Penny, and Steph... but to replace their biggest loss the arguably got back another top 5 pg... :thumbsup: The front office deserves alot of credit with this... Barbosa should make a solid back-up pg (where I thought he should have been), they got a beast in Amare, a solid player in Marion, and Joe Johnson has been putting 20pts, 5asst, 5rebs since the massive blockbuster trade with NY Knicks... their bench looks half decent... but with Nash as their new pg, Joe, Matrix, and Amare should all see more touches, maybe a decent, well sized C (Okur) could get them in an upset 1st round win by the 2005 playoffs... Great work by the GM/ Front office... their loss was marbury now they have Nash... and plus cap room, and young talent... this team without doubt has a very bright future... almost as bright as their alternate road jersey's...
Yeah totally didn't see him going to Phoenix. Even thought he seems to be a pretty happy and well grounded athlete, compared to most, I thought he'd be running around all summer shopping his ass around the country to the highest bidder. I suppose the way fair offer and the fact he still owns that house in Phoenix was enough to make him happy. Now we just gotta get his ass a haircut.
