Steve Nash Trade Rumors Popping Up Around NBA Again

Steve Nash trade rumors aren't going to go away until the Phoenix Suns either give their star player a contract extension or pull the trigger on a deal to help the franchise. As the Suns start fading from the race for the 2011 Western Conference Playoffs, those trade rumors have resurfaced, with several destinations already making a lot of sense for both parties.

ESPN's Ric Bucher talked a bit about a Nash trade on Friday, noting that he feels the Suns "will move him if he makes it clear he doesn't want to stay, but they have to make that decision around draft time if they hope to get full value."

It's not going to be an easy scenario for the team, especially if the owners lock out the players at the end of the 2010-11 season. That could definitely hamper their ability to move one of the best players in the history of the franchise.

Following up on what Bucher had to say, ESPN's Chad Ford talked about the teams that are interested in acquiring Nash this summer. He noted that the teams interested in Nash already include New York, Dallas, Portland, Orlando, Atlanta, Charlotte, Toronto, Houston, and Utah. It certainly shows that there is a big market for Nash out there, and the Suns won't be short on offers to acquire the veteran point guard during the summer months.

It's hard to predict which players those interested teams would be willing to offer for Nash, but some of the scenarios are at least very interesting on paper. Teaming up Nash with Dwight Howard in Orlando, getting Nash into that evolving team in Houston, or allowing him to work with all of the big men in Utah seem to be winning situations. For Portland, Dallas, and New York, it seems like he would just be replacing a veteran point guard already there (Andre Miller, Jason Kid, and Chauncey Billups respectively).

In the 2011-12 season, Nash will make $11.7 million for the Suns. He is certainly not as expensive as some of the high priced players in the league, and he doesn't even get close to making it into the top 30 list of highest paid players. If the Suns were to keep him and decline the option on Vince Carter, they could still continue to build around him in Phoenix. They would be well under the salary cap, and could then try to get a new point guard in the 2012-13 season. Right now they would need to get a really impressive offer for Nash to even consider a deal.

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