Switch Stockton and Nash for careers

[migya]

If switched for careers, would Stockton be better in place of Nash and/or would Nash be better in place of Stockton?

Considering the context is this a reasonable evaluation:


-With Dirk, Finley, Jamison, and others, Stockton leads elite offenses with extreme efficiency.

-With zone defenses allowed and no hand-checking, he benefits from spacing but lacks Nash’s elite off-the-dribble shooting and change-of-speed flair.

-He still posts 10–12 APG, flirts with 50–40–90, and provides much better defense and toughness than Nash.

Result:

-Mavs remain contenders, but Stockton doesn’t replicate Nash’s exact offensive magic — he’s more of a surgical executor than a chaos creator.

-Probably makes 2–3 All-NBA teams,


In Mike D’Antoni’s 7SOL system, Stockton is elite: quick decisions, elite pick-and-roll reads, spacing heaven.

-He has Marion, Stoudemire, Joe Johnson, and thrives with pace, but doesn’t collapse defenses like Nash.

-Defense is far better than Nash’s, and he likely helps Phoenix slightly more in playoff grit — though not quite as explosive offensively.

Projection:

-Stats: ~16 PPG, 11 APG, 50/40/90, elite advanced metrics (WS, BPM)

-Awards: Maybe 1 MVP, 6–8 All-Star teams

-Legacy: Still an all-time great PG, maybe not as flashy, but arguably more complete in this era.



Steve Nash in Stockton’s Career (1984–2003)
With Jazz (1984–2003)

-Nash joins in the mid-80s, but unlike Stockton, he’s not a defensive irritant. That hurts in a hand-check, grind-it-out era.

-Plays with Karl Malone in Jerry Sloan’s flex system — structured, slower, and not ideal for Nash’s free-flowing creativity.

-Suffers more physically: hand-checking, paint congestion, and no space to operate.

-Still a great passer and shooter, but his defensive liabilities are magnified, and he’s less durable without modern spacing.

Result:

-Still a high-level PG, but less efficient, fewer assists due to slower tempo and ISO-heavy offense.

-Can’t generate same scoring volume; not as consistent due to physical toll.

Projection:

-Stats: ~13–15 PPG, 7–9 APG, lower efficiency than real-life

-All-Stars: 3–5

-Legacy: Fringe Hall of Famer, never close to top-5 PG talk



Stockton > Nash when swapped:

-Stockton adapts and still thrives in Nash’s open, fast-paced era.

-Nash struggles in Stockton’s slower, brutal era and structured system.

-Stockton's game was timeless. Nash's was revolutionary — but era-dependent.
In this switch, Stockton remains elite. Nash… not so much.