So Steve Nash(notes) didn't want Shaquille O'Neal(notes) on the Suns. Can you blame the guy?

But can you also see the writing on the wall? Actually, forget that; can you see last year's standings? The ones that left Phoenix out of the playoff bracket?

I don't doubt that Steve Nash conveyed a dubious tone, to say the least, regarding Shaquille O'Neal's potential for aiding the Phoenix Suns in returning to the playoffs next year, in a recent meeting with Suns GM Steve Kerr. Not for a second.

It's too little, too late, though. Shaq's permanence or impermanence with the Suns, really, had little to do with this team's championship aspirations. Because, as great as the Suns were playing in the days leading up to their acquisition of O'Neal in February of 2008, this still wasn't a championship team. And it's not because the Suns were poor defensively.

It's because they weren't a knockout team offensively. They were still the best in the NBA, offensively, but not to a point where it made the team's average-to-below average defense passable.

Offense and defense win championships. Not defense, alone. Same with offense. And if you slip below the "damned good" radar on either side, your other side must make up for it. Phoenix, even with the league's best offense, still couldn't hit enough shots to make up for it.

With, or without O'Neal. And the same went for 2008-09. And as well as O'Neal tried to fit in last season, and as good a teammate as he was, the writing was on the wall. It had been there for a while. There's a reason Nash (and O'Neal, to a lesser extent) went through the season with a bemused smile. He knew this team wasn't going anywhere.

Steve Kerr, on Thursday night and in meeting the press today, has not flashed a bemused smile. The man knows this game, I still believe he has the GM potential to be one of the greats (Kerr inherited a goofy owner and a great team, two things that don't often work out to creating a dream gig), and he seems pretty sick about being bashed around in the press.

And he seems pretty sick about losing. Losing with that payroll, losing with that star power, losing in general. Every GM hates losing, I'm not telling you anything new, but Kerr has always seemed a bit more aware than most — even if he is the guy who took a chance on putting someone like Shaquille O'Neal on the Suns.

Kerr's implied message, both in terms of action and the tone he's set while giving us the typical GM-pabulum, is that he's done with this team. The Suns are to be blown up. He may not succeed in blowing the team up, you never make a trade for the sake of making a trade, but the team is to be blown up. Even if Phoenix doesn't make another transaction between now and November.

Why? Because these guys are done. Stoudemire was white hot to begin 2008-09, but he faded, and you can see him fading into the ranks of a "why are you taking that shot when you can drive?"-jump shooter as his career moves along. Even if he's way too young for that role.

Beyond Stoudemire? No real young talent. Leandro Barbosa(notes) is solid, but he'll be 27 next fall. Nothing to build around, here. And nothing to tinker with. Tinkering, sadly, won't turn the Suns around. I wouldn't be shocked at all if the current roster won 50 games next year, but that doesn't win you a championship.

This doesn't mean the team rebuilds this summer. Again, if a trade that would help the team isn't there, Kerr ain't dealing. The rumored deal that would send Stoudemire to the Golden State Warriors, as one-sided as a deal like that would have been in Golden State's favor, has been put on the back burner by the Warriors, of all sides. Can you believe that? And you can't even blame them.

Golden State was shocked to have Stephen Curry(notes) drop into their laps, last night, and though rumors abounded about the team taking the Davidson product for Phoenix, that can't possibly be the case. For now, Golden State is staying put.

That might not be the worst thing for the Suns. As much as we respect Andris Biedrins'(notes) production, and a chance to rebuild ... you have a 6-10 guy who can score a ton. You should be in no hurry to lose that defining aspect of your very existence, Phoenix.

Which brings us back to Nash. To most, he is the defining aspect. But he's also on the wrong side of his career, he as a team option for next year that you know the cash-strapped Suns considered declining, and he'll be a free agent next summer. He's everyone's favorite player, but he's not leading even a pretty-good (or, even, "great") supporting cast to the playoffs.

Remember that, when you consider the idea of Nash making the move to dump O'Neal for payroll (not salary cap) relief. You've got the wrong Steve.

Steve Kerr made this move. Nash may have expressed his displeasure with the way things have been, but he was preaching to a one-man choir.