BRUNSON BURNER: to NYK for 4yrs/$104M (no SnT) | NYK docked 2025 2nd for tampering

[dirkfansince1998]

With what we knew at the time, I do not fault Cuban at all (other than having a totally lost asset). I would NEVER have guessed Nash would become an MVP, totally change the way he took care of his body, and totally change the trajectory of his health situation at the age he did. 

In hindsight it was a bad move....but in the moment it was a totally understandable move.

Ignoring that I don´t think Nash deserved any of his MVP awards I would argue that it is unlikely that he plays as well in Dallas. Don´t think they would have run a system like D´Antoni´s 7s or less offense. Don´t think they would have let him dominate the ball. Dirk had established himself as the first option and needed better defensive support.

Important part for me was that the Mavs improved without Nash. I don´t think that is debatable. 58 wins and a 2nd round exit in the first season without him. Losing against a Suns team that was lead by Nash looks bad but there is no guarantee that a Mavs team with Nash would even get that far.
In the following season they won 60 games and made the finals. Beating Nash and the Suns in the WCFs.

Dirk and Nash made for an alltime great offense but even by themself they could carry a top offense (Mavs 4th in 05, 1st in 06). Difference is that the Mavs defense improved a lot. Ranked 26th in 04. 9th in 05. 11th in 06.