Cuban, Nash trade barbs

DALLAS - While Steve Nash and Mark Cuban would like to take the high road as their relationship comes to an end, any amicable separation is quickly deteriorating.

Cuban posted comments on his Web log that questioned the dealings of Nash’s agent, Bill Duffy, and said he believes Nash could have forced the Suns into a sign-andtrade situation had he so desired.

Nash on Wednesday said he was unhappy that Cuban has not let Nash’s impending signing with Phoenix pass without any mudslinging.

‘‘I’m disappointed with the stuff that’s come out, particularly on his Web log,’’ Nash said. ‘‘He talks about an offer that never came. He has a lot of bad things to say about Bill, and I’m just very disappointed and disheartened by it. I wish he could have just moved on.’’

Cuban had said on his Web log that, ‘‘It was Steve’s choice to leave for money. It was my choice not to pay him the money.’’

On Wednesday, Cuban elaborated via e-mail. He said his Web log was a difficult thing to write on the Nash subject but that he felt it was the right thing to do.

‘‘I considered letting it go,’’ Cuban said. ‘‘But I owed the fans an explanation. I had nothing but positive things to say about Steve. And that’s the way I still feel. I just felt it better to get the facts out rather than have nothing but speculation by fans and media. That would have been far worse, and it would have never stopped. His agent obviously wasn’t going to like it.’’

Nash said the fallout from his departure has soured him somewhat. While Nash remains thankful to the organization and the fans, he is upset over comments by Cuban that Duffy and Nash could have facilitated a signand-trade, giving the Mavericks something in return for the point guard.

‘‘That’s not our job,’’ Nash said. ‘‘He had a whole year to get ready for this. He knew I was opting out. I just think that, all along, he didn’t want me back. I think everything that has come out since then shows that Mark is in this for himself.’’

Nash said the offer Cuban made to counter Phoenix’s sixyear, $65 million deal was ‘‘for barely half that much.’’ The offer was for $39 million over four seasons, according to Cuban’s Web log.

‘‘He may have been willing to go higher, but that offer never came,’’ Nash said. ‘‘It was nowhere close to the $51 million that people are saying.’’

Cuban said that the $51 million would have come from a fifth season being added to the deal, half of which would have been guaranteed. All of it would have been guaranteed if Nash played a certain number of minutes and games in the fourth season.

Meanwhile, Nash said that the negotiations with the Suns were extremely quick. He was asked if the Suns made a take-it-or-leave-it offer, and said, ‘‘I don’t think they wanted to play the back-andforth game.’’

Nash also said that Utah, which has more than $30 million in salary cap space, was second on his list and that he would have visited the Jazz had a deal with Phoenix not worked out.