Former Retired Mavs, Steve Nash & Amar’e Stoudemire, Win Titles

The Dallas Mavericks might not have had the best of seasons, but two former Mavs in Steve Nash and Amar’e Stoudemire came away with titles.

After spending a couple of years in the league, Steve Nash was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in the summer of 1998 where he would form a big three that Dallas fans love to think back on.

Nash came into Dallas to join Michael Finley and a young German, Dirk Nowitzki where he would be a Maverick for the next six seasons. It was in Dallas where Nash was a two-time all-star and formed a bond with Nowitzki that looked like would last for many years to come.

After some uncertainty on the Mavs side on what to pay Nash in free agency, Nash left Dallas and signed with the Phoenix Suns in the summer of 2004.

Nash would go on to win back-to-back MVPs in 2004 and 2005. His years in Phoenix were considered the prime of his career, but he could never get over the playoff hump.

Nash would eventually retire from the Los Angeles Lakers in 2015 without a NBA Championship.

Now, Nash finally has his ring.

https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/874839742667513856

Nash came on with the Warriors this past season in a role that is simply undefined to people like myself. Videos surface of Nash working with the Warriors in practice type settings, but nonetheless, he now gets his championship ring.

But Nash wasn’t the only former Maverick to win a championship this offseason.

After a fun career where he spent time in Phoenix and New York, Amar’e Stoudemire found himself being waived by the New York Knicks in 2015 where he could join a playoff team in Texas.

Stoudemire would turn right around and sign a deal with the Dallas Mavericks for the rest of the season where he would play 23 games and average just over 10 points a game. Stoudemire would sign his last contract in the NBA for the Miami Heat before retiring in the summer of 2016.

After retiring from the NBA, Stoudemire announced he would be finishing his playing career in Israel where he had partial ownership in team called Hapoel Jerusalem. Stoudemire came on board as a player where he helped lead his team on a title run.

After the Warriors won their title in the states, Stoudemire led Hapoel Jerusalem to the title in the Israeli Basketball Premier League.

It’s safe to say that Stoudemire has his share of fans in Israel.

Yeah, the league isn’t as talented and doesn’t herald big time names, but a championship is a championship for a basketball player. For a player that never got to experience a title in the states, the feeling had to be memorable for the veteran in Stoudemire.

Add these two former Mavs to the likes of Zaza Pachulia, JaVale McGee, Richard Jefferson and Deron Williams and former Mavs are getting their time in June.

Next: Four Trade Down Opportunities for Dallas

For the future Hall of Famer in Steve Nash and the long-time vet in Amar’e Stoudmire, it was a summer they will never forget as they finally came away with a title…even if it wasn’t like they drew it up.