NBA legend Steve Nash revealed that he never intended to leave the Dallas Mavericks, explaining that the franchise’s contract offer made him feel unwanted and gave him additional motivation when he faced his former team in the playoffs.
Nash spent six seasons alongside Dirk Nowitzki in Dallas before joining the Phoenix Suns in 2004.
Although his departure was widely associated with the more lucrative contract he received from Phoenix, the former point guard insisted that his preference had been to remain with the Mavericks for his entire NBA career.
Reflecting on his first playoff series against Dallas after leaving the organization, Nash acknowledged that the circumstances surrounding his departure made the matchup particularly meaningful.
“The one that comes to me a little bit is when we played you in the playoffs the year after I left. So, first year, because I know he says I left for the money.”
Nash explained that the financial difference between the Mavericks’ offer and the opportunity available elsewhere was simply too significant to ignore. However, the decision was also emotionally difficult because he felt Dallas had not valued him enough to keep him.
“I wanted to stay in Dallas my whole career and was offered substantially less, too much to turn down, you know, discrepancy. So I felt like castoff, like nobody wanted me, the unloved child in a way.”
After joining Phoenix, Nash quickly established himself as one of the NBA’s premier point guards, winning the league’s MVP award in his first season back with the Suns.
That same season, Phoenix faced Dallas in the 2005 Western Conference semifinals, giving Nash an opportunity to compete against his former teammates with a place in the conference finals at stake.
“And so to play them in the playoffs that year, there was some hot sauce on it, you know what I mean?”
Nash recalled one particularly memorable moment from the series, when he connected on a crucial three-pointer against the Mavericks.
“I can’t remember what game it was, but I think I hit a three. Dribble-down three, one of those games. To win it?”
Dirk: “No, to tie it.”
Nash: “To tie it. In Dallas. So I think for me, I don’t know, there might have been bigger shots, but because I felt like they discarded me, that was an important series for me. As much as I didn’t like to admit it.”
The Suns eventually eliminated the Mavericks in six games, with Nash delivering an outstanding performance against his former team.
