The Steve Nash-led Phoenix Suns team of the mid 2000’s remains as one of the greatest NBA teams to have never won the Larry O’Brien trophy.
Apart from being one of the most selfless players on the basketball court, the two-time MVP was also quite generous off of it, as recalled by Nash’s former teammate Quentin Richardson.
The former Suns players reunited in the latest episode of Q-Rich’s The Knuckleheads podcast, where Richardson detailed a story of how Nash took a pay cut just so he join the team in 2004.
According to Richardson, then Suns executives David Griffin and Rex Chapman were having trouble balancing the salary cap to fit Richardson’s contract before Nash decided to step in.
“He was like, ‘Take it off mine,'” Richardson said. “I turned to him and look like, ‘Wait a minute.’ Right then, I’ll never forget that, I remember calling (my agent), and he was like, ‘He did what?'
Nash, meanwhile, said he was simply trying to improve the Suns roster and didn’t even consult his agent when he made the decision.
“I was just excited to be on the team, I was excited for him to come on the team,” Nash said. “What are we waiting on?”
Nash’s generosity certainly paid off, as Richardson emerged as one of Phoenix’s primary sniper from distance that year. He helped the Suns win 62 regular season games and make it all the way to the Western Conference Finals that season.
Richardson was traded the following season to the New York Knicks, while Nash remained with the Suns and wreaked havoc in the West alongside Amar'e Stoudemire and Shawn Marion.
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