The "what if" moment that changed every NBA team forever
By Cal Durrett
Dallas Mavericks: What if the Mavericks matched the offer on Steve Nash?
During the early 2000s, the Dallas Mavericks appeared to be on the cusp of breaking through after several playoff runs with Hall of Famers Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash. However, when it came time to re-sign Nash in 2004, Mavericks owner Marc Cuban offered him a 5-year, $45 million deal. For a 30-year-old, receiving a 5-year contract offer would normally be enough to get a deal done, but the Phoenix Suns offered six years and $63 million, besting Dallas' offer.
Nash gave Cuban the chance to match it, but he declined, forcing Nash to leave the Mavericks. At the time, it seemed like a reasonable decision for Dallas, given that Dirk was several years younger and entering his prime, but Nash quickly proved everyone wrong. He unlocked a talented young Suns roster that featured Joe Johnson, Shawn Marion, and Amare Stoudemire and led them to a then-franchise record of 62 wins.
He would go on to win consecutive MVPs (and nearly a third in 2007) and lead Phoenix to three conference final appearances in his first six seasons back with the Suns. Had Cuban matched, Dirk and Nash might've won multiple championships together.