Mavericks shower praise on former star Nash
Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle sent a heartfelt text message to Lakers point guard Steve Nash on Sunday, letting him know how much he appreciates what he brought to the NBA.
“He has been a game-changer in this league,” Carlisle said. “If he hadn’t come along with [coach Mike D’Antoni], I think our game would look different than it does now.
“What those guys did, led by him, really redefined the NBA in many ways. Consecutive MVPs, I think, validates that completely.”
Nash announced his retirement Saturday after 18 seasons in the NBA. Nash played for the Suns from 1996 until they traded him to the Mavs in the summer of 1998.
The Mavs kept Nash until they allowed him to walk — and re-sign with the Suns — via free agency following the 2003-04 season. It’s a decision owner Mark Cuban still agonizes over.
“Yeah, I mean, who knows how things would have turned out, but it is what it is,” Cuban said. “It was different times then, a different set of circumstances.
“If I knew then what I know now, maybe it’ll be different — it’ll probably be different. I was being told that we were going to have to cut his minutes. Whoops.”
After leaving the Mavs where he was a formidable competitor alongside Dirk Nowitzki, Nash was named the NBA’s MVP in 2005 and 2006 with Phoenix.
“Any guy who wins two MVPs, you describe his career as amazing,” Cuban said. “He deserves nothing but credit. He had a big impact on Dirk’s career while he was [in Dallas] and then leaving.”
An eight-time All-Star, Nash left the Suns for the second time in 2012 to join the Lakers. But when injuries kept piling up, Nash knew it was finally time to finish his illustrious career.
Cuban was with Nash recently when the Canadian celebrated his 41st birthday.
“It was obvious he wasn’t coming back,” Cuban said. “There was nothing we were doing that would suggest he was in shape for a comeback.”
Cuban said he’s not surprised Nash didn’t wait until after the season so that he could sign a one-day contract and officially retire as a member of the Suns or Mavs — the two organizations where he spent most of his career.
“He wasn’t going to do it with us, obviously, but that’s not his style,” Cuban said. “I think he’s focused on his next career, so I think anything else just kind of delays it.
“He gets to spend all his time with his kids, and that’s the most important thing to him.”
Briefly
▪ Carlisle said guard J.J. Barea’s sprained left ankle “is nothing serious.” Barea suffered the injury in Saturday’s practice and did not travel to Phoenix.
▪ The Mavs’ next two games are against the San Antonio Spurs — Tuesday in Dallas and Friday in San Antonio.
Dwain Price, 817-390-7760
This story was originally published March 22, 2015 at 10:03 PM with the headline "Mavericks shower praise on former star Nash."