Teams only turn into champions, or even dynasties, when they stay patient after falling short on the biggest stage. Whether it was the Miami Heat 's "Big 3" era or the rise of the Golden State Warriors dynasty, those teams never abandoned their core after suffering heartbreaking losses in deep playoff runs. Eventually, they reaped the benefits by winning multiple championships. The same could not be said for the mid-2000s Phoenix Suns .
The pressure of constantly being involved in trade rumors frustrated Shawn Marion to such an extent that he grew desperate to force his way and get a fresh start. Despite knowing the team was agonizingly close to lifting the Larry O'Brien trophy, Steve Nash did not throw him under the bus and wholeheartedly understood that the uncertainty had bothered his teammate psychologically.
After a disappointing 2003-04 season in which the Suns won just 29 games and missed the playoffs, the franchise made a bold move by bringing in Nash. His arrival immediately elevated the team's fast-paced offense, as it evidently improved the production of both Marion and Amar'e Stoudamire.
As a result, not only did the Suns win 62 wins in the regular season but reigned supreme as the best offensive team through the '04-'05 regular season. Unfortunately, even though they reached the Western Conference Finals, they were eliminated by the Spurs via a gentleman's sweep.
The following season, the Suns once again reached the WCFS but were eliminated again. Nevertheless, they were able to stretch the series to six games against the Dallas Mavericks . Then, in the '06-'07 season, Phoenix registered over 60 wins in the regular season but lost out in the second round. As frustration built, Marion was constantly involved in trade rumors with the Utah Jazz and the L.A. Lakers, despite his two-way effort being tailor-made for the team's style of play.
Nahs understood how important Marion was to the Suns' success, as evidenced by the latter averaging 19.5 points per game during those three seasons combined. Yet, the two-time MVP refused to sweet-talk his teammate into staying or throw Shawn under the bus for his desperation to be sent somewhere, acknowledging how tough it was for a player to deal with such a dilemma, especially when he had given his all.
"It's sad to hear he wants to go," Nash said . "We're very close to winning a championship. We want everyone on board. All his teammates love him. We want him to be a part of this for sure, and we feel like he's a big part of it. It's frustrating to hear he's unhappy, because we want him to be happy."
In the end, midway through the 2007-08 season, the Suns traded Marion to the Miami Heat. From that point on, the team steadily declined. They were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Spurs in five games.
Even with experiments like adding veterans Shaquille O'Neal and Grant Hill in the hopes of finally capturing a championship, Phoenix never regained the same identity or dominance. Nevertheless, Nash showed his true character by siding with his teammate, even though he knew his teammate was indeed unhappy in Phoenix.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Feb 25, 2026, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
