Nash is one of the worst defenders in league history and would not fit in on this team at all. Nash has been publicly complaining and whining about Terry Porter's slow, half court system and that is not the kind of leadership the young Blazers need to learn from. He wouldn't fit in this system at all, would cost too much to acquire and will likely retire in a couple years.
*edited: No personal attacks*
Let's talk about what Nash is...
the fifth best shooter in league history (basketball-reference.com), and a guy who would be incredible in our offense. I know it's trendy for idiots to say Nash can't work in a team that plays half-court AT ALL. But it's a bunch of crap. It's true that running does inflate stats, but it's also true that if a player has nice court vision in the full court, they'll have it in the half-court too. Phoenix was a great team OFFENSIVELY in the half-court too under Dantoni. They ran a ton of pick n rolls with Amare, and Nash got his teammates a ton of easy buckets in the paint.
We are terrible at getting easy points in the paint, and there's no good reason with Brandon, Lamarcus, and Oden. The reason is Steve Blake, he's simply a bad passer. His best asset is shooting (which is streaky) and Nash is a better shooter. Nash is a bad defender, but not a terrible one (he can pester a lot), and Blake isn't any good either.
The benefits we'd grab in easy buckets would be well worth the small amount we'd lose on defense.
Nash is good at feeding bigs (that are willing to move) he's just not that great when all he does is drop it to the post and stand around. Players in a system like that who benefit are the big guy they dump it to and the main cutter (ala Penny, Kobe, Wade) while the other three become spot shooters.
While Nash could get us a ton of easy buckets, he is also such a good shooter that he could be a threat off the ball (w/Roy) and open up space on the court just as blake is doing now. Nash isn't going to want to drive to the hoop forever (he's getting older) and could extend his career playing a little more off ball on a deep team.
When he was playing very well in Phoenix (and Dallas) they were running a ton of pick n roll, this is Nate's favorite play also. We're also creating a lot of running opportunities with our superb defense.
If we got Nash Oden and Aldridge's numbers would skyrocket (so long as we continued to rebound as we do now). The fact is
our offense now is structured much more like Phoenix's was (w/o running on makes) than Phoenix's current offense is, Nash would do better here than there.
The last fact blazer fans need to understand is that while it's whimsical to want to keep everyone and have them all be happy, a bunch of guys entering their prime want to play and earn contracts. There is not enough room for at least one of Outlaw or Frye and Sergio, Blake, and Frye. No matter if you don't want to trade for spare parts or not, the fact is we already have some (whether we've chosen who they are or not).
I think Phoenix should try to win it all, Kerr wants to hedge his bet to Shaq to make his legacy, rather than go down with a sinking ship he didn't build. I think once the Nets are out of contention back east (they're playing well and still not selling tickets) or get cheap Phoenix should look to grab Carter (and the nets have no use for Nash. VC would fit perfect next to Shaq as the next (hardaway/kobe/wade) along with Amare! That is a contender far better than they are now. This is where we could capitilize:
POR trades: Blake/Bayless/Outlaw/Raef/1st rounder
POR receives: Nash/Swift
NJ trades: Carter/Swift
NJ receives: Raef/Bell/Outlaw/Bayless/POR 1st
PHX trades: Nash/Bell
PHX receives: Carter/Blake
this year
Nash/Sergio
Roy/Fernandez
Webster/Batum
Aldridge/Frye
Oden/Pryzbilla
we're still left with a ton of firepower, and Nash is given a ton of people to feed, while playing a little more passively than the last couple of years. Lamarcus', Frye, Rudy, Webster, Batum and Oden's games would blossom playing w/Nash, while Roy's would take an initial step back, he'd just have to learn to play a little more off the ball (not a ton because nash can shoot too) which he already is and should (playing with good post guys). It's a leap Lebron and Wade have already made, w/much less players that deserve to have the ball around them than Roy. Next year we'd bring in Koponen and Freeland for some added depth/guys to develop and re-sign Frye to say 3 years MLE, and we'd be set for a championship!
