[IrishHand]

How is Nash a traitor? He was a free agent, got an offer from Phoenix, showed it to the Cuban and asked him to match, he refused (at least according to Cuban, I assume he wouldn't lie), Nash signed with Phoenix.

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Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was stunned by the contract offer that lured free agent Steve Nash to the Phoenix Suns.

Cuban addressed losing the All-Star point guard on his Web log Saturday.

Cuban wrote that he deliberated carefully before offering Nash a five-year, $51 million deal, believing that the Suns wouldn't be able to top it.

So when the Suns quickly offered a five-year contract, with a potential sixth season, worth at least $65 million, Cuban was faced with a difficult decision.

"It wasn't easy for me. I knew it wasn't going to be easy for anyone associated with, or fans of the Mavs. It was Steve's choice to leave for money. It was my choice not to pay him the money," Cuban wrote.

On Thursday, the first day that free agents could negotiate, it didn't appear that it would end this way for the Mavericks and their longtime star.

"I told Steve directly that I wanted to be fair, and that I wanted to pay him more than any other team," Cuban wrote. "I said that I didn't want to negotiate against ourself and play games. That if another team came in and paid him a max like deal, what I called an extreme deal, outside the norm, then he would have to take it. "

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Translation: "I facked up and didn't realize Nash was a max-worthy player like Phoenix did."