Revisiting Major Suns What-If

What if Steve Nash wasn't hip-checked?

Steve Nash reacts after a foul call during Game 2 of the Western Conference finals between Phoenix and San Antonio in 2005. Suns Nash / Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

PHOENIX -- The Phoenix Suns' 2024-25 campaign is set to begin within the next week - and the ushering in of a new league year will set most eyes onto the future, but it's never ill-timing to reflect on what lead the franchise to this point.

Today, NBA TV ran a program titled "What If" that went into some of the most controversial roster moves, league decisions, and calls made by referees ever - and what could have happened if said events didn't happen.

Among the biggest 'what ifs' - the infamous Robert Horry hip check on Steve Nash in the 2007 Western Conference Semifinals that led to the suspensions of Amar'e Stoudemire and Boris Diaw in a Game 5 in which the Suns lost.

"Still have nightmares about it."@NBATV 'What If' broke down scenarios like if Orlando didn't trade Chris Webber to GSW for Penny Hardaway, 1st round picks.

Here's another one.

What if Robert Horry hadn't checked Steve Nash in 2007 NBA Playoffs? #Suns #Spurs

Thread incoming. pic.twitter.com/g7v91nd9Nf

— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) September 26, 2024

Horry hip-checked Nash in the closing seconds of a Game 4 Suns victory - and the suspensions of the two previously mentioned stars - coupled with the beating Nash took in the series - arguably was the difference between yet another disappointing Suns playoff exit without hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

Former coach, analyst, and current West Coast Conference commissioner Stu Jackson certainly believed the suspensions were the difference between the series loss and winning it all.

"I felt they would have only because if you go back to that time, the Phoenix Suns were probably playing the best basketball in the NBA," he said.

Phoenix, in a hypothetical world, would have faced off with the Utah Jazz in the next round after defeating San Antonio - a squad that the Spurs had little trouble in taking down - before facing the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers, which the Spurs defeated in a sweep in the Finals.

The Suns may not have matched up as "clean" as San Antonio did with either Utah or Cleveland due to the sizable gap in team defense - but the Suns' offensive firepower and depth very well could have been enough to overcome the defensive deficiencies - especially against two squads that were less talented to this point.

What would the '07 run have done for the legacy of the franchise and the players had they won it all?

Nash, Stoudemire, and Marion would have been cemented as one of the most underrated trios of all time - and all three would likely be immortalized in the Basketball Hall of Fame instead of just one.

Boris Diaw, Raja Bell, and Leandro Barbosa would have found even higher profiles at the height of their powers. Steve Kerr perhaps never goes into coaching with a title as an executive.

One thing is for certain - the ramifications of those select moments in May of 2007 have been inaudibly consequential in the history of the Suns - for better or worse.

While the Suns were frequently among the best, if not the best in the NBA, they failed to break through for a variety of reasons - in this case a "zero-tolerance" policy by David Stern when it came to players leaving the bench in the aftermath of the "Malice at the Palace" incident a few years prior.

Regardless of the ending of that season and era at large, it is still extremely valuable to reflect on those years and understand that the Suns have still played a crucial role in both the evolution of the way the game is played and of the way the league operates.

They are a historic franchise and have a place among the biggest brands.

The Suns will enter the 2024-25 season with the intention of bringing home a first ever NBA title to Phoenix. Devin Booker has an opportunity to take the "greatest Sun" mantle from Nash. Durant has a shot to solidify his legacy among fans and media. Beal could silence the doubters that believe he is on a steep downswing. Mike Budenholzer could become one of the few coaches to win titles for multiple franchises.

The next nine months will determine whether this will become reality.