Steve Nash Elects to Re-Sign with Phoenix Suns

Steve Nash has decided to accept a two-year contract extension offer, worth an estimated $22 million, from the Phoenix Suns. A news conference will be scheduled later this week. The Suns increased their offer by $2 million this past week, and Nash agreed to it after a few days of deliberation. Nash will be owed $13.1 million this upcoming season. The Suns made it clear that re-signing Nash was their number one priority this season and they got their man.

There was a possibility that Nash was considering playing out of his contract next season, and that would enable him to join the free-agent class of 2010, but that was not the case. The New York Knicks were said to be interested in Steve Nash, if he became a free agent. A move to the Knicks would of meant a reunion between Nash and former coach Mike D'Antoni. The Portland Trail Blazers were also somewhat interested in trading for Nash this off-season, but nothing ever materialized.

Nash has been playing in the NBA since 1996, and is 35 years old. There is a chance that this could be Nash's last two years in his career. Nash started his career with the Phoenix Suns after getting drafted 15th overall in the 1996 NBA Draft. Nash was primarily a bench player in his first two years with the Suns. Nash would sign with the Dallas Mavericks in 1998, and at that point, Nash became one of the best point guards in the NBA. Nash was with the Mavericks for six seasons, until he returned to the Suns in 2004. In his last five seasons with the Suns, Nash has been a starter and their most valuable player.

Nash has made an impact in the NBA, winning the NBA Most Valuable Player Award twice (2005 and 2006) and was selected as an All-Star on six seperate occasions. While Nash has been in the league for over 13 seasons, he is still looking for his first NBA Championship. Nash has led his team to the playoffs, ten different times, but has never even been to the NBA Finals. Nash has been to the Western Conference Finals twice, but both times resulted in losses.

Re-signing with the Suns might give Nash his best chance of winning an NBA title for the first time. The move to re-sign Nash capped off a busy off-season for the Phoenix Suns. They drafted Earl Clark, re-signed Grant Hill, signed forward Channing Frye, and bought out Ben Wallace. The future of Amare Stoudemire is still uncertain. He is set to be a free agent in 2010.