HoopsHype.com Rumors

After four seasons with the Suns, assistant coach Bill Cartwright's contract will not be renewed. Cartwright was hired by then-General Manager Steve Kerr, a former teammate, and then-coach Terry Porter in 2008 to help Amar'e Stoudemire's defense, rebounding and post-up game. Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Coaching, Bill Cartwright 

Cartwright became the lead assistant when Porter was fired that season and he remained in that role until last year, when Elston Turner became the lead assistant upon being hired to retool the Suns defense. Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Coaching, Bill Cartwright 

Morris averaged 7.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 0.7 blocks and 0.7 steals in 19.5 minutes per game this season while shooting 39.9 percent from the field and 34.7 percent from 3-pointers. He was targeted for toughness, rebounding and defense and supplied each of them to some degree, coming with a heaping supply of fouls. Morris committed 7.0 fouls per 48 minutes, tied for the sixth highest rate in the NBA with company from teammates Robin Lopez (ninth) and Sebastian Telfair (13th). “I definitely could have done a lot better,” Morris said after the season. “I fouled too much. It just comes with getting stronger and learning the game more. I was playing with my hands too much and trying to be too aggressive on defense.” Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Markieff Morris 

Morris knows the organization is vested in him and has shown it will give him opportunities. Morris got seven starts as a rookie, taking the first one when he was ill. He averaged 4.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.0 fouls and 1.6 turnovers in his starts while shooting 33 percent. “I’ve got one year under my belt now,” Morris said. “If it happens next year, I’ll be ready for it.” Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Markieff Morris 

Jared Zwerling: Keep this in mind with Steve Nash in NY: D'Antoni is no longer here, so that may be big. Perhaps Woody will need an offensive assistant? Twitter

New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, Free Agency, Steve Nash 

Amare Stoudemire: Just enrolled at the University of Miami. Working on continuing my education http://lockerz.com/s/209041377 Twitter

Phoenix Suns, Amare Stoudemire 

The Professional Basketball Writers Association has chosen Steve Nash for the Magic Johnson Award, which recognizes the player who best combines excellence on the court with cooperation with the media and fans. Doc Rivers gets the Rudy Tomjanovich Award (same as above, only with coaches), while the Brian McIntyre Award (best PR) goes to the Milwaukee Bucks. Sulia

Phoenix Suns, Steve Nash, Media 

Phoenix’ Steve Nash was the top vote getter for The Magic Johnson Award — the players’ equivalent of the Tomjanovich Award. The Milwaukee Bucks media relations staff was given the Brian McIntyre Award as the league’s most enterprising PR staff. Boston Herald

Milwaukee Bucks, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Steve Nash, Magic Johnson, Brian McIntyre 

The Phoenix Suns love Steve Nash and, as I tweeted, I’m told that they’ll offer him a two-year deal worth $20 million. They love the impact that he has on and off the court. With that said, I think Nash is going to leave money on the table to sign with a contender. He has made it clear that he wants to contend and I don’t think that’s going to happen in Phoenix anytime soon. HoopsWorld

Phoenix Suns, Free Agency, Steve Nash 

Toronto will be in direct competition with the Knicks for Steve Nash. But Nash is expected to look to sign with a bona fide contender, and the Knicks and Raptors don't fit that description. New York Daily News

New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, Toronto Raptors, Free Agency, Steve Nash 

Brown came to Phoenix in late November with the sound of a player who would treat the year like a house flipper, seeking to increase his value and quickly get out. That did not happen. Brown went through his ups and downs after signing a one-year, $3.5 million contact but wound up attached to his new city, team, system and role on his fifth NBA stop. "I would like to come back," Brown said. "I understand it's a business at the same time. Whatever happens, happens, but I've expressed my interest." Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Free Agency, Shannon Brown 

Brown said part of his free agency choice in July will be based on what the plans of Steve Nash, who he said he loved as a backcourt mate. He said his time out of the rotation made him not want to go through a one-year contract again, fearing that falling out of the rotation could mean the end of his career. "I like it here," Brown said of Phoenix. "I like everything about it. I like the team. I like the facilities. I like the city. The fans. I like everything about it. I don't mind being here again. At the same time, I've got to keep that balance in my mind. It's a business. My plans might not fit other people's plans so I have to prepare for anything." Arizona Republic

Phoenix Suns, Free Agency, Shannon Brown, Steve Nash 

Alan Hahn: As for this Nash talk, it's not only premature, it's incredibly misguided. Phoenix will go to $10M per. $5M or less ain't getting it done. Twitter

Phoenix Suns, Free Agency, Steve Nash 

Alex Kennedy: Sources say Phoenix will likely offer Steve Nash two years, $20 million. However, I think Nash leaves money on the table to join contender. Twitter

Phoenix Suns, Free Agency, Steve Nash 

Alex Kennedy: Nash wants to win now. He has made it clear that he wants to be on a competitive team. Unless the Suns make big changes, I think he leaves. Twitter

Phoenix Suns, Free Agency, Steve Nash 

Amar’e Stoudemire issued a public plea to Steve Nash, his former Phoenix Suns teammate who will be a free agent on July 1, to join him in New York. “Everyone knows that Steve loves New York and that New York loves Steve,” Stoudemire told The Daily News. “I love Steve. It would be great to have him here next year.” New York Daily News

New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, Free Agency, Steve Nash 

It is believed that the Knicks would have a better chance at signing Nash if his former coach, Mike D’Antoni, was still coaching the Knicks. However, a source close to Nash asked the veteran that same question and Nash responded by saying he isn’t “ruling out anybody at this point.” New York Daily News

New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, Free Agency, Steve Nash 

Nash, who spends part of his summer in Manhattan, has always been enamored with the idea of playing at Madison Square Garden. However, close friends say that if Nash were to sign for the veteran minimum, he will go only to a contending team, which is why Miami is suddenly emerging as a strong candidate. “Why would he want to do that,” Stoudemire said, laughing. “This is a terrible, terrible situation here, right?” New York Daily News

New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, Free Agency, Steve Nash 

One dark horse team could be the Portland Trail Blazers, the nearest NBA city to Nash’s hometown of Vancouver. Nash has several business interests in Vancouver, including ownership in the Major League Soccer team there, and playing for the Trail Blazers would make sense personally and professionally for him. New York Daily News

Phoenix Suns, Portland Trail Blazers, Free Agency, Steve Nash 

In fact, if you were to go back for as far as ESPN keeps PPS data (1999-2000), Harden has the best single-season PPS of any NBA guard during the 13-year span, and Chandler’s 1.97 PPS is the best overall PPS in at least the last 13 years. To put Harden’s feat of 1.66 PPS as a guard into even more perspective, neither Michael Jordan nor Steve Nash nor Ray Allen ever broke the 1.5 PPS mark. And while dead-eye assassin Reggie Miller has broken 1.5 several times, he’s never cracked the 1.6 PPS mark. HoopsHype

Charlotte Bobcats, Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns, Ray Allen, Michael Jordan, Steve Nash, James Harden, Reggie Miller