July 01, 2004

Steve Nash back to Phoenix.: 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.

posted by Ufez Jones to basketball at 07:10 PM - 13 comments

And, may I add....FUCK!

posted by Ufez Jones at 07:10 PM on July 01, 2004

Does this mean Marquis Daniels will get the starting job?

posted by dusted at 08:11 PM on July 01, 2004

My thoughts exactly ufez.

posted by jasonspaceman at 10:05 PM on July 01, 2004

Damn - no more Nash to Nowitski. I thought Cuban loved this guy? Or is Shaq still on his mind...

posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 11:58 PM on July 01, 2004

Does this mean Marquis Daniels will get the starting job? 'Quis did a good job as a filler, but I don't think he can handle the fulltime job yet. Even when he was in, at times Fin or Walker would run the point. I'm guessing this is (sigh) strategic to bring Shaq to D-town.

posted by Ufez Jones at 12:44 AM on July 02, 2004

Phoenix overpaid. Never give a contract this expensive and long to a guard in his 30s. Nash is my favorite non-Raptor, but I say Cuban will have the last laugh here.

posted by Scott Carefoot at 10:09 AM on July 02, 2004

Nash is my boy, and the guy can still play, but yeah, Phoenix paid too much for him. I too will miss Nash to Nowitzki, but there are other decent passers out there to get the ball to Dirk. Quis and Finley can hold the fort just fine, and it's not like the Mavs are disintegrating or anything. They'll have to find them, is all. Bummer. Also, I don't like Shaq going to Dallas in the first place. I mean, it looks like it might happen, unless the Lakers decide to fuck the Mavs over and overpay for a fading injured big man in some feeble attempt to wring one more title out of a fading, disappearing and ever-more troubled lineup. The Mavs weren't going to win it all with that lineup anyways. They needed fine tuning. But -- Nash. My boy. Damn. It's about time the balance of power shifted out of LA and into the East.

posted by chicobangs at 10:43 AM on July 02, 2004

Nash to Marion and Nash to Staudamire could make for some fun plays though. If I were a Suns fan, I'd be stoked. The Suns probably did overpay, but they had the money (and still quite a bit more). If they can add a couple more key pieces, they may make a push for one of the final playoff spots. The West is so deep though, it takes a lot. Nashty was my favorite Mav though. If Howard goes out in a Shaq deal, I'll be miffed.

posted by Ufez Jones at 10:48 AM on July 02, 2004

paid too much and for too long, they'll be rueing this day within three years.

posted by lavidalibre at 11:53 AM on July 02, 2004

hmm, will be keen to see what Mark Cuban blogs about this move considering I had read that the meeting with Nash that Dallas had was good. welcome lavidalibre. (GET HIM!)

posted by gspm at 12:10 PM on July 02, 2004

And, may I add....FUCK! Same feelings here, but from the Suns Fan side. If I were a Suns fan, I'd be stoked. Why? Would you trade Marbury for Nash? That's what this is from where I am. Suns have been preaching the clearing cap space to rebuild BS, and they go and give a stupid contract to a better than average but not great player. Straw poll from my drive into work from the radio shows - Fans are not happy, at all (gross understatement). they'll be rueing this day within three years. Much sooner than that will the rueing begin. I'll say in a few weeks, or whenver it is season tickets go on sale.

posted by pivo at 02:16 PM on July 02, 2004

Marquis Daniels agreed to a six-year contract worth roughly $38 million to stay with the Mavericks, helping Dallas secure the other half of its starting backcourt soon after losing point guard Steve Nash. Daniels, who made the league minimum of $366,931 last season after going undrafted out of Auburn, will receive the midlevel exception of around $5 million this season, then have annual raises of 10 percent. The exact figures will be set by the league before July 14, which is the earliest the contract can be signed. Not a bad pay raise.

posted by Ufez Jones at 02:40 PM on July 02, 2004

I'm guessing this is (sigh) strategic to bring Shaq to D-town. Count me among the confused. How does this help their bid to bring Shaq to town. I though Nash was the centerpiece of the trade. The Mavs just lost him for zero compensation. Anyway, maybe I'm missing something. What trade do you guys think the Mavs are going to make now? You think the Lakers would take Walker and Stackhouse for Shaq? BTW, I hope nothing happens between now and the start of the season. The Mavs would have three SG and two power forward types. The Daniels, Stackhouse, Finley, Walker, Dirk lineup should be ... uhhhh ... interesting. The Laker's would be ... the best. It could be a Mastercard comercial. Shaq fuming over taking a backseat to Kobe ... $27M Gary Payton decomposing before our eyes for ... $5.5M The hilarity that ensues ... priceless

posted by Mike McD at 03:07 PM on July 02, 2004

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