20 worst NBA Draft trades ever
By John Buhler
18. Steve Nash from Phoenix Suns to Dallas Mavericks
Though Steve Nash is arguably the greatest player to have ever played for the Phoenix Suns, he didn’t play all the best years of his prime with the team that drafted him No. 15 overall in 1996. After two years as a reserve with the Suns, Phoenix traded Nash to the Mavericks for Martin Muursepp, Bubba Wells, the draft rights to Pat Garrity and a future first-round pick which became Shawn Marion.
Phoenix would still stay competitive through the rest of the Jerry Colangelo era in the Arizona desert, but Nash would go on to become a superstar point guard with the Mavericks under head coach Don Nelson for the next six seasons.
Nash would form a big three with stretch four Dirk Nowitzki and sharp shooter Michael Finley to bring the hapless Mavericks from out of the catacombs and into one of the most exciting teams in the NBA in the early 2000s.
Phoenix would later re-acquire Nash in 2004 when he hit free agency, playing at a Hall of Fame level in the last eight years of his prime. Though Phoenix would be the prototype team for the small ball era with Nash at the point and Mike D’Antoni as head coach, the Suns wouldn’t get to an NBA Finals during this high-octane era.
While it is up for debate, one has to wonder what could have been with the Suns had they not traded Nash to the Mavericks in the first place. Not that Nash wasn’t outstanding for Phoenix as a two-time league MVP, but had he have been with the Suns for his first 16 years in the league, maybe continuity at point guard would have been enough to bring the great basketball town of Phoenix its first NBA Championship?
Next: 17. Charles Oakley from Cleveland Cavaliers to Chicago Bulls.