Basketball fans were shocked to find out on July 4 that Steve Nash had asked for and agreed to a sign-and-trade deal that would send him from the Suns to the Lakers. Only a week earlier Nash had said it would be difficult for him to play for the rival Lakers, a team he had faced in the playoffs three times during his eight seasons in Phoenix.
So what made him change his mind so quickly? Apparently it was a family matter.
“I’m calling it the family-values deal,” Nash’s agent Bill Duffy said, according to The Arizona Republic. “[Nash] was adamant about being close to his children. To be able to play in a competitive situation was wonderful after he had given everything he could to re-establish the brand of the Suns. He wanted for the Suns to have some benefit (in his departure). He’s very grateful to Robert (Sarver) and the Suns. They wanted to respect him but also remove the shadows of Steve. He’s getting older and it’s time to reboot.”
Nash has 7-year-old twin daughters and a 20-month-old son with his ex-wife in Phoenix, so being in Los Angeles will make it easier for both sides to see each other. That reason won’t help bitter Suns fans overcome what they feel is a betrayal, but it should be appreciated by any unbiased party, and certainly all concerned parents.
