Steve Nash(notes) and the Phoenix Suns have agreed on a two-year, $22 million contract extension, according to his agent Bill Duffy. Here's what they're saying out in the ether about the agreement.

Bright Side Of The Sun: "Without Nash, the Suns would have immediately taken a huge step backwards as there were no likely scenarios in which Steve could have been traded for a comparable young point guard. The league is filled with some amazing talent at the point but those teams were not going to trade their future for a couple of years of Nash. Great point guards don't grow on trees. So, given the option of letting Nash go and get even younger (but not better), the team did the right thing in keeping the 'face of the franchise.'"

Valley of the Suns: "... where do the Suns go from here? The Suns now have a solid mix of youth and veterans, as outside of Hill, Nash, and Richardson (28), everyone on the roster is 26 or younger. Nash finally has the chance to play 'Seven Seconds or Less' with no Shaq or Terry Porter ruining his mojo. The Suns finally get a full season under Alvin Gentry, a full season with J-Rich, and hopefully a full season with a healthy Amare Stoudemire. Yes, it would be extremely surprising if the Suns were sitting atop the Western Conference at the end of next season, but this wouldn’t be the first time a Nash-Stoudemire duo shocked the NBA world (see 2004-2005 season). Even if the Suns simply make the playoffs as a five or six seed and get bounced in the first round, at least they will be developing their future in Clark, Dragic, and Lopez along the way. Who better to learn the game from than two-time MVP Steve Nash and veteran stalwart Grant Hill(notes)?"

Paul Coro, The Arizona Republic: "The deal makes the final year of his current contract — at $13,125,000 — fully guaranteed. The extension, which pays the same as Stockton's 1999 deal at age 37, was limited to two years and is uninsured by NBA rules because Nash will be 36 when it kicks in next year. Nash will count against the salary cap for about $10.35 million in 2010-11 and $11.65 million in 2011-12, and he deferred $3 million of each year's salary to the two years after the contract expires. 'I know there are some financial constraints,' Nash's agent, Bill Duffy, said. 'Given that, Robert Sarver remains steadfast in his commitment to Steve and his belief that Steve can lead this organization to the top of the NBA. Steve believes that as well. I think there was a hiccup in the last year and a half, but they feel that can be corrected.' [...] Duffy said Nash believes the Suns can immediately return to the elite after the team re-signed his friend, Grant Hill; traded Shaquille O'Neal(notes); added Channing Frye(notes) and Earl Clark(notes); and did not trade Amaré Stoudemire."

NBA FanHouse: "Nash will be 38 years old by the time his new contract expires, suggesting the Suns will attempt to re-tool on the fly as opposed to blowing up the team and starting from scratch. As if having Father Time hot on his trail wasn't bad enough, Nash must also contend with Amar'e Stoudemire's(notes) contract situation. If Nash can't lead the Suns back among the Western Conference elite by the trade deadline, the Suns will almost certainly feel compelled to trade Stoudemire as opposed to losing him to free agency the following summer."

The Baseline: "... it seems like [Nash] got an offer too good to refuse, and figured that with all the uncertainty and competition looming next summer, he might as well secure his future. Most likely, this means Nash will retire without a ring. But was he really going to get one going to New York with, say, Amare, Bosh, or LeBron? While I don't want to say Steve Nash has given up, it certainly appears that, barring a minor miracle in a beefed-up West, he's sealed his fate and his place in history."

Dime: "... I think that Nash should have waited until 2010 and just latched onto a championship contending team. Phoenix didn’t even make the playoffs last year and will still be a borderline playoff squad next season. An old Nash and Grant Hill and a one-eyed Amar’e Stoudemire won’t be enough for Steve Kerr to get his Phoenix Suns back to glory."

Kevin Pelton, Basketball Prospectus: "If the Suns are to succeed, then, it will be by piling up the points at an historic pace. During the second half of last season, it was apparent that strategy was much more successful against bad teams than against good ones. Under Gentry, Phoenix went 12-2 against sub-.500 teams playing out the string, but just 6-11 against playoff teams. Therein lies the concern for the Suns. True contention doesn't seem to be in the cards. With Houston and potentially Utah taking steps backward next season, a playoff berth is a realistic possibility, but Phoenix would have to take an enormous step forward to compete with the West's best teams. The Suns' best hope for that leap comes from the return of Stoudemire, who will step in for O'Neal in the middle. If Stoudemire, who struggled in Porter's system, responds to a floor that is better spaced by improving his field-goal percentage, Phoenix's offense could be even more dangerous. Nash's age is something of a concern (as is Hill's), but he played excellent basketball under Gentry, posting a .664 True Shooting Percentage in March and April and averaging 13.8 assists per 40 minutes in the season's final month."

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