We have 3 major candidates.
Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, and Cp3
Early 2000s. 2002-2003. Kidd was able to lead his team to back to back finals appearance. (Only losing to Shaq/Kobe Lakers and Big 3 Spurs respectively)
Everyone thought Kidd would be inarguably the best PG of the decade.
However, in Mid 2000s. 2005-2006. Nash was traded from Mavs to Suns. And his partnership with coach Dantoni worked wonders. Unlike Kidd. Nash never was able to lead his suns team to a finals appearance. Usually losing to Spurs or Lakers before reaching the big stage. Still Nash won back to back MVPs in that stretch
Then Cp3 came to the party as a late game. 2006, he won Roy. 2007, he was not even an all star. But in 2008, he had a skyrocket leap. Not only he made all star. He became an MVP candidate!!!. And even placed second place behind Kobe Bryant (one of Top 10-12 all time players)
My Verdict
Cp3 kinda came late. And a good amount of his prime years will be in 2010s instead.
So, it is Nash VS Kidd.
Kidd back to back finals appearance was amazing.
But I will give the edge to Nash. Just because on how deep the wild west in his time.
So, I have (for 2000s)
1.Nash
2.Kidd
3.Cp3
Honorable Mention: Deron Williams
I’m biased but Nash was phenomenal. His offences were absurd relative to his era, and bad luck was often the determining factor in their failure to make the finals in a tough west. Amare’s injuries, the Horry incident, hell Joe Johnson being more concerned with getting payed than playing a Klay-esque role on a super team, motherfucking Tim Duncan three pointers… it goes on.
Kidds Nets made the finals but the east was a joke, and then his role in Dallas later was important but he was no longer the driving force of the team.
what horny incident
Here you go. https://youtu.be/trdsKp94Io0?si=ctjONd0sfGtmhd0V
Agree or not, Nash won two MVPs even though he averaged 15.5ppg and 18.8ppg. He simply made the entire team better.
Suns probably win in 07 if the suspensions don’t happen tbh
The 07 Suns were 16th in defensive rating at a time when mediocre defensive teams simply didnt win rings. Hell, they still don’t, but especially not in 07
Statmuse has them at 13th with a 106.4. The heat were at 8th with a 105.3. The statistical significance of that gap is probably not very strong, and we don’t need to pretend that a 61 win team was not capable of winning a chip.
I put none of the blame on Joe Johnson, and all on the owner at the time Sarver. It was a total of $5 million that prevented Johnson from re-signing with the suns. Not $5 per year. But $5M over 5 years. It’s a joke and Sarver is absolute garbage and cost the suns at least 1 title in that stretch.
When other Pistons fans say how much our billionaire owner sucks and how’s he’s the worst and as a super fan of the NBA, I always think, you’re complaining about our owner, who is willing to drop money if ever needed, when Sarver nickeled and dimed his teams and is arguably the biggest reason why Suns don’t have a ring to show for some REALLY good teams.
Im so happy for Suns fans that he is gone because no fans of a professional sports team deserve a POS owner like Robert Sarver
Obligatory fuck Robert Sarver. Garbage human being and team owner
Sarver/Colangelo Jr also sold the Luol Deng and Rondo picks. Just terrible asset management.
This. A core of Nash, Amare, Marion and Johnson. That’s it. Add free agent ‘X’. Johnson lets Nash play off-ball more. Deadly.
Very fair, I forgot about what a toothpick to the urethra Sarver was.
I hate Sarver more than Robert Horry.
Literally night and day with Ishbia now
Fuck sarver
What are your thoughts about Leandro Barbosa taking over Joe Johnson’s role? Dude was a highly effective sixth man.
Preach Brother!
Nash deserved both MVPs.
And wasn’t basketball his backup sport?
Wasn’t a top 5 player at the time though.
the reason ppl say he doesnt is because no one thought he could win in the playoffs and his stats were inflated. im not saying thats fair to say but thats what ppl thought and felt a way about his win
Although Kidd wasn’t MVP level in Dallas he was a major key factor in that championship he was far from an old ring chaser like Gary Payton on the Miami Heat.
very far. its just that team was so stacked. elite role players everywhere.
Nash in the 2020s would be absolutely lethal
He’s talked openly about how Steph made him realize the value of being aggressive as a distance shooter, and that he basically wished he would have played more like Steph to open things up for his guys.
Granted, Amare dictated a different approach with lots of elbow pick and roll, but they could have dragged those screens out higher. Hell, the year with Diaw in Amare’s place could probably have looked similar to the Curry Draymond dynamic.
You’re not wrong, when talking about the greats you’re forced to nitpick tho… it’s the only way!
With that being said, and this is when the pitchforks usually come out, Steve Nash doesn’t deserve to be in the convo …
My reasons:
Steph recruited once and been called “a superteam” and “unfair” and “KD a snake for going there” … also, Steph was a drafted team in 2016 vs Lebron, no salary cap, and 3 max players… still clowned for losing 7 GAMES LATER! Steve Nash’s run was unacceptable…
Gotta win some titles with all Nash had in his prime… 🤷♂️
Yawn such a tired conversation.
Kidd only won when he was old and washed scoring 8ppg, so it’s not like him or CP3 meaningfully won more than Nash.
But not having a ring doesn’t disqualify you from greatness.
Harden is one of the best offensive players ever, top 3 in MVP voting like 7 different times, no ring.
CP3 is the one of the best PGs ever, top 3 player in the world during his prime, no ring.
Barkley won an MVP over prime MJ and prime Hakeem, no ring.
Russ had a historic MVP year when he won, no ring.
AI was an MVP and 4x scoring champ, no ring.
Winning an NBA championship takes a lot of luck in certain senses. Just cuz some guys didn’t ever get there doesn’t mean they aren’t great. Harden was only stopped by what many consider the best team ever in the KD Warriors. Nash had one of the most stacked conferences ever fighting with the Lakers, Mavs, and Spurs. They almost definitely win rings in other years, like I’d take the Nash Suns or Harden Rockets over any champ in the ‘20s personally, but their comp was just much harder. It doesn’t mean those guys weren’t rightfully MVPs.
joe johnson was not a superstar on the sun lol. he didnt become joe johnson til atl. and if your one of the guys that say “cant win in playoffs” to dismiss players then steve nash suns were the poster children of this. always blow teams out in reg season to lose to lesser talented lower seeded teams. and no one ever picked suns to win either. also after the super lakers league was pretty weak imo.
Nash to me too. Consistent and great through my whole time watching.
nash is the best offensive player of all time
Nash and Kidd are closer than you think. While Nash is obviously the better shooter, Kidd is an All-NBA defender while Nash is an absolute cone. So it makes up for it.
However, because Nash gets 2 MVPs, he pits it slightly.
The gap defensively between Kidd and Nash is just too large.
Kidd made it out of the East which was weaker but it’s not like he had any sort of stacked roster around him. Richard Jefferson, Kenyon Martin, Kerry Kittles were all solid but he never had nearly the offensive talent around him that Nash did.
To me a comparison is Harden and Durant. Harden is a better offensive engine and more impactful offensive player but the gap defensively is too big.