In an interview with Burns and Gambo of KTAR in Phoenix, Steve Nash touched base on questions surrounding his future. Having turned 38 in February, Nash looks determined to finish the rest of his career on a strong note with a contending team and his answers made it evident that his priority is on winning. During the course of the interview Nash clarified that his mind isn't on free agency right now, although he was able to provide some insight on what his approach will be after the Suns conclude their season.
When asked what it would take for the Suns management to retain him, Nash said that he wants to see the team in a position to contend and that hopefully there are a lot of directions the franchise can go in order to provide a better chance to be competitive in the playoffs again. He also added that while his family will be one factor in his thought process, it wouldn't be the deciding factor. Here are some more noteworthy takeaways from the interview:
On how close he felt the Suns were from matching his vision, Nash answered:
"I think this franchise definitely has a great opportunity this summer with the flexibility and cap space it has to improve a great deal whether that is just one step up the ladder or three or four has yet to be seen, but it should be an exciting time for some fans and we’ll see how it all plays out in the summer.”
On the possibility of recruiting free agents:
"If that’s going to be a deciding factor on me coming back then I’d obviously want to do what I can to help. Who knows what is going to happen?"…"If it were time to move on I think it is going to demand a lot of thought and debate on my part and figure out a lot of things, so it’s a little bit of a tricky situation in that aspect. I think I have definitely earned the opportunity to sit back and take it all in and decide what is best for me."
On the possibility of taking less money to play for a contender:
“It’s possible, but at this point though I really don’t know…like I said with the family and with the money. These are all just one factor and a bunch of different factors"…"it’s definitely not out of the question to take less money to go to a situation where it fits you better, but it’s really early for me"…"it is going to be a big, big, big project for me to really get to the bottom of what is the best thing for me.”
We reported earlier this month that Nash is seeking a three-year deal. It should also be noted that in a late-March interview, he didn't rule out Dallas or Miami as potential suitors while discussing free agency.