Two-time Sympathy MVP Steve Nash Retires

[Moz]

Surprised no one posted this yet...

http://www.nba.com/2015/news/03/21/stev ... index.html

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Lakers guard Steve Nash announced his retirement Saturday, quietly ending a 19-year NBA career that included two MVP awards.
After playing in just 65 games over the past three seasons due to injuries, the 41-year-old Canadian playmaker formalized his departure with a letter on The Players' Tribune, a website where he is a senior producer.

Gutted he never won a ring and he left that exciting Dallas team back then (would've been awesome if he won with Dirk)... Best PG next to Jason Kidd in recent memory for me...

[mp3]

One of the best players I ever watched plat the game, and to think it only felt like yesterday that I watched the rookie game at the allstar break and thinking that he wouldn't make it in this league lol

[mp3]

But I also thought Travis Knight was going to be a force too!!

[Kenny]

Shame about his last couple of seasons, but they don't really detract from what was a great career. I kind of wish I appreciated that Suns team with him, Marion and Stoudemire a little more when they were together.

[Andrew]

It would've been nice if he could've gone out on his own terms and played out his contract, but nevertheless, he had a great career. I remember him being referred to as a "poor man's John Stockton" in a magazine previewing the 1997 season; even though he didn't surpass Stockton - well, maybe in the length of his shorts - I'd suggest that he surpassed that label and established himself as a Hall of Fame player and all-time great point guard in his own right.

Since the title of the thread alludes to it, it's interesting to look back on his two MVP seasons, a decade or so after the fact. I thought he made a stronger case for the MVP the second time he won it, though I'm not sure that I wouldn't have picked someone else as a more deserving candidate both times. Not that he was undeserving - there's a lot of ground between "absolutely should've won" and "absolutely shouldn't have won" - but I think those two selections will always stand out as being a bit controversial.

[shadowgrin]

Steve Nash was deserving of his MVP award as Derrick Rose was as deserving of his own MVP award.

[Mandich]

Steve Nash was deserving of his MVP award as Derrick Rose was as deserving of his own MVP award.

Except Rose won it because voter fatigue, Shaq was being punished for his feud with Kobe.

lol at people who actually thought that Rose would be a top 5 player, even Howard deserved it more than Rose.

[Moz]

Since the title of the thread alludes to it, it's interesting to look back on his two MVP seasons, a decade or so after the fact. I thought he made a stronger case for the MVP the second time he won it, though I'm not sure that I wouldn't have picked someone else as a more deserving candidate both times.

Tell that to Shaq (at the 28 minute mark by the way)

phpBB [video]

Perhaps It's all about how stacked the Suns were at that time and/or the Mavs still having success without him on their line-up... Me too can't pick anybody but Nash as the MVP (Iverson's team stunk, TMac is starting to be brittle, and it's more a DWade show in Miami) at those times...

[Kenny]

I wouldn't take Shaq too seriously - he seems to let personal grudges get in the way of his judgment with a lot of those types of discussions.

[NovU]

The Suns would have crapped hard without Nash. Not because Nash is the best ever at the time but it was because of the way Suns were built. Nash's Suns were arguably the best offensive team in league history, check out ORtg it's insane, and he was the captain of the ship. I don't think anyone in league at the time would have successfully replaced Nash and led the best offensive team in league history.

Anyhoo, hoping to see Nash in coaching/broadcasting world of NBA.

[Andrew]

I wouldn't take Shaq too seriously - he seems to let personal grudges get in the way of his judgment with a lot of those types of discussions.

Yeah, he does have a tendency to be a bit petty, or joke around...and occasionally display pettiness in the guise of joking around.

I get the arguments against Nash, and I wouldn't disagree that other players - Shaq included, at least for that first year in Miami - may have had a stronger case. I think his second MVP made the first one look a little bad, because he had some even better numbers in a few categories that season. The year after that, in which he didn't win MVP, he also put up numbers that were better than his first MVP season, and the Suns' record was better than his second MVP season, also being just one win off the mark set in the first. So looking back, and considering the performances of a couple of other players, it does look a little more iffy.

At the same time though, "(arguably) not the most deserving" isn't the same thing as "undeserving". Perhaps I'm taking the word a little out of context, but I think "sympathy MVP" isn't giving him enough credit; it just seems a little too harshly dismissive to me. I'm not sure that it really applies to any regular season MVP selection...even Karl Malone's selection in 1999 wasn't so much sympathetic as "MVP by default", being a decent performance (by his standards) in a haphazard, lockout-shortened season.

[Ofek99]

great career steve nash had.
very sad he didn't won a ring.

[Sauru]

lots of salt in that video

[Maverick]

Still the best point guard the Mavericks has ever had (unless Rondo stays and become pre-ACL version of himself). I almost cried when he was traded to the Suns and knowing he's a great friend of Dirk's. Although, I doubt we would win in 2011 with him. He was one (beside Dirk and Finley) of the reason why I became a big fan of the Mavericks. Thanks for the memories Stevie!

[mp3]

Rondo and Nash will never be on the same level imo.

Sure Rondo is a good player but his shot let's him down more so than Steve Nash's defence did.

[Sauru]

if rondo ever developed a real jump shot he would have just destroyed people but he didnt. like alot of players who really excel at one thing he leaned on it and suffered overall for it.

nash was really fun to watch but as far as i am concerned thats how he will go down in history, a fun player to watch

[NovU]

Two time league MVP was just a fun player to watch? Do you say that for Larry Birdie too?

[Andrew]

Of course not. He was a three time MVP, after all!

[Mandich]

His team also won, stupid comparison/shot.

[NovU]

The point is 2 time MVP can't just be a good player.

[Mandich]

He was a very good player who in his prime made players around him better on offense, was highly efficient and fun to watch.

The MVP's was a result of Nash playing in a perfect system for his skillset surrounded by terrific players for the system. They had all the pieces and couldn't win anyway.

That and the fact there were players more deserving (yes there were but how can you not handout the award to a uber-flashy player with good numbers on a winning offensive-orientated team)diminishes his value.

He certainly isn't just a good player. But for a 2 time MVP he's nowhere near greatness. One of the best point guards? Perhaps, he has the resume.

[NovU]

The MVP's was a result of Nash playing in a perfect system for his skillset surrounded by terrific players for the system. They had all the pieces and couldn't win anyway.

They didn't have all the pieces. They had shit and pretenders.

He had Marion and Stoudemire then bit of Frye & Joe Johnson, lel. People should ask what IF had Bynum, Gasol, then Lamar off the bench as luxury. What IF KG, Pierce, and Ray instead of nobodies historically significant like Stoudemire, Marion? Heck I will go as far and say what IF Tyson Chandler who put Dallas over the top.

Amazing thing about Nash is that he had done A LOT with LITTLE.

[Mandich]

Joe Johnson didn't play at Phoenix during Nash-MVP years.

Stoudemire was a beast before Nash and was the prefect fit for the system. 24-9 with +.600 TS are great numbers.

Shawn Marion was a beast before Nash and was the perfect fit for the system. Unbelievable defender, rebounder and s great scorer too. 20-10-2-2 are great numbers as he was just under .600 TS

Boris Diaw was in his prime (although not a star player he was a game changer)

Barbosa was scoring 18 off the bench .

Raja Bell was on the perimeter.

Only real thing missing was an elite inside defender.

Don't talk smack about that roster. Nash is just as guilty for failign as the other guys.

If you think Odom and Bynum are more "historicaly significant" than Marion and Stoudemire, then I think we have nothing further to discuss.

EDIT: I am trying to keep this discussion focused on his MVP years, as Bird won 3 rings with 2 being on his MVP years.

Nash isn't elite.

[NovU]

Phoenix's roster in Nash's years weren't anything spectacular. Stoudemire and Marion as 1-3 best options might get you somewhere but not all the way. Counterparts were too loaded in that era. Evidently Phoenix completely fell apart when Nash sat out games. Media noticed it and raved how great Nash was just for that.

You could make an argument that he wasn't the best player at the time but I don't mind giving MVP award in this logic of:

60 win team -> 30 win team w/o Nash
60 win team -> 50 win team w/o Shaq

It's probably correct to say the team was built to win based on maximizing Nash's ability. What I have problem with is you implying Nash couldn't win a ring because he was not good enough. It's similar to saying Kobe > LBJ & CP3 & Wade because he has as many rings as all three combined. It takes a lot to win rings, go check champions rosters in recent era. It's kinda crazy to think anyone else in Nash's place could have won a ring for Phoenix just with Stoudemire, Marion, and rest of garbage.

Calling Nash isn't elite is stupid.

[Mandich]

You could make an argument that he wasn't the best player at the time

I thinks it's safe to say he wasn't, individualy.

Calling Nash isn't elite is stupid.

Depends what you consider an all-time elite. Personally, I don't like giving such praise so easily, so I'd round it up to calling the best 5 point guards ever elite point guards of ALL-TIME.

He surely was one during his tenure, prior to the PG stampede, but all-time wise, he's not in my top 5.