Can Suns build around Nash if he stays?

The Phoenix Suns have been building around Steve Nash
pretty much since the day he signed with them in 2004.

Looking for bigs who could roll to the basket and shooters
who could hit from three, the Suns have always tried to
find players who could compliment the two-time league MVP.

Though 38 and nearing the end of his career, Nash is still
playing at a high level, and there’s a better-than-good
chance his next contract will keep him in the Valley.

So, can the Suns build around Nash — again?

“But here’s the key: you do have a really, really good
center in Marcin Gortat. You’ve got a nice young rookie in
Markieff Morris. You’ve got Jared Dudley who’s a nice
player,” Arizona Sports 620’s John Gambadoro said. “There
are some pieces here.”

Gambadoro said the Suns should expect to have a lottery
pick in a good draft, so the roster won’t be totally
barren.

But, none of that screams “star player,” so the Suns will
have to turn to free agency to really find help for Nash,
and the shooting guard position may be what the team
targets.

The names Michael Beasley, Ray Allen, OJ Mayo, Jerryd
Bayless, Nick Young and Jason Terry were tossed out, but
none sound like appealing options as the Suns look to make
moves in free agency.

“They need a Jason Richardson type, they need a scorer,”
Arizona Sports 620’s Dave Burns said, noting that the team
is asking guys like Dudley and Channing Frye to be scorers
when, in reality, they cannot be relied on.

There is one guy out there who is young enough to warrant
a long-term contract and good enough to be the scorer the
Suns need.

“To me, the guy you try to get is Eric Gordon,” Gambadoro
said.

Gordon has shown the ability to score, but not stay
healthy. Though he’ll be a restricted free agent, there’s
a chance the league-owned Hornets will not match an offer
the Suns can make.

A lineup of Nash, Gordon, Dudley, Frye and Gortat, with
Morris, Childress and Warrick off the bench looks a little
better than the one we’re seeing now, but is it good
enough to make the Suns a contender in the Western
Conference?

That’s the question worth asking.

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