PHOENIX -- Lon Babby was practical about the end of the Steve Nash era in the desert, mapping out scenarios that will put the Phoenix Suns in the best possible position to absorb the loss of the two-time league MVP and face of the franchise the past eight years. When the time came to actually part ways with Nash, the emotional part made it difficult for the Suns president of basketball operations. "It was excruciating," Babby said on Wednesday. "My job in coming here two years ago was to get us to this point and find a way to get us through it. Whether it was this year, next year or the following year, at some point Steve Nash wasnt going to be here and I kind of felt like that was one of my responsibilities to usher us to through that phase as gracefully and with as much dignity as we could. I think weve done that; I hope weve done that." The Suns traded Nash -- a native of Victoria -- to the Los Angeles Lakers last week in a sign-and-trade deal that sent four draft picks to Phoenix. The loss of Nash was going to be tough for Suns fans to take no matter what. That he went to the rival Lakers made it even worse, causing ripples of outrage across Planet Orange. But Babby, general manager Lance Blanks and the rest of Phoenixs front office were willing to absorb the public relations hit for a chance to make the team younger and more athletic. The way they saw it, trading Nash to the Lakers was a good way to get something for a player who might have left anyway while building a cache of draft picks and saving salary cap space to pursue other players. "At the end of the day, what I would say is it just became obvious that you cant really dive into a transition if the thing youre trying to transition from is still here," Babby said. "So much of this franchise has been centred around Steves personality, his play, his contributions to the community that those are painful conclusions to reach. Both sides, it became clearer and clearer that there was no way for us to move forward and at the same time accommodate him." But the Lakers? To Suns fans, that was like the Yankees trading Derek Jeter to the Red Sox. The front office had the same reaction when Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak and, later, Nash approached them about moving him to Los Angeles. "Frankly, we didnt even contemplate that opportunity would be there for him," Babby said. "When we first heard of it, we probably had the same reaction everyone else in this room, really in this community had, which was a visceral reaction: Theres no way, thats crazy." The more they thought about it, the more the Suns brass realized the deal made sense. With Nash likely seeking a contract for more years and money than they were willing to offer, the Suns faced losing their star player and getting nothing in return. Nash had numerous suitors on the free-agent market and the Suns didnt have many options for a sign-and-trade deal, the Knicks and Lakers among the few options. The Lakers offered up four draft picks -- two first-rounders -- which seemed like a good fit for a team trying to get younger and gave the Suns 10 picks in the next three drafts. Nash also had appealed to them on a personal level. Wanting to be closer to his kids, who live in the Phoenix area, Nash asked the Suns to take a second look at dealing him to the Lakers. Suns owner Robert Sarver then asked Babby and Blanks to take the emotion of the Nash-to-the-Lakers situation out of the equation and see if they could find a deal that could placate a player that had meant so much to the team while still fitting into their basketball plans. They did just that. "You cant ignore that kind of request from someone who is the quality of person and had the quality of contribution hes made to our franchise," Babby said. "But in the first instance, we had to assure ourselves that it was a good basketball decision and if we werent doing what was right for our franchise from a basketball perspective, then we simply just couldnt accommodate what he was asking and hed have to make another choice. At the end of the day, we felt comfortable with the assets that we received." The Suns have added a few assets since Nash left town. Last week, they signed forward Michael Beasley and point guard Goran Dragic to multi-year deals and on Wednesday official signed restricted free agent Eric Gordon to an offer sheet. New Orleans can still match the offer sheet to Gordon and the announcement on the deals with Beasley and Dragic wont come until after the Hornets make a decision. Even if New Orleans does match the offer, Babby said the Suns have plans in place to pursue other players, through free agency or trades, or hold onto the money for next year. Either way, the Suns are moving ahead in their next era -- one without Nash. cheap jerseys from china paypal . Keith Waters, the European Tours Director of International Policy, will meet in London on Thursday with the owner of Prosper Golf Resort that had been scheduled to host the event from Aug. cheap jerseys from china wholesale . First, theres the 26-year-old import running backs speed that impresses the coaching staff of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. http://www.cheapjerseyschina.cc/ . 3 (game coverage begins at 6:25 p.m. ET). For the first time ever, free live streaming of the game is available in Canada via CTV.ca. CTVs extensive coverage of Super Bowl XLVII from the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, La. airs live nationally and in High Definition on Sunday, Feb. cheap jerseys from china authentic . 1-seeded Victoria Azarenka 6-1, 6-2. On Saturday, Williams will face first-time Olympian Maria Sharapova, who beat Russian teammate Maria Kirilenko 6-2, 6-3 in the semi-finals. cheap jerseys from china free shipping . -- Major League Baseball could start in-season testing for human growth hormone next year.The world junior championship will be Seth Jones time to shine. There are three returning players and eight NHL first-round draft picks on the preliminary roster for the U.S. national junior team, but the one who draws the most attention is the young defenceman for the Portland Winterhawks who may go first overall in the 2013 NHL draft. Jones, a smooth six-foot-four rearguard, was among 27 players named to the U.S. squads training camp Dec. 16-18 in Tarrytown, N.Y., at the New York Rangers training base. The way coach Phil Housley talks about him, it seems like a lock that Jones will be on the 23-man roster for the world junior championship that begins Dec. 26 in Ufa, Russia. "Hes a special player," Housley said Tuesday on a conference call. "Hes built for todays game. "Hes big, strong, he skates well and his first pass out of the zone is crisp. His skating has improved and hell be able to jump into the play offensively. Hes the full package." The final roster will be announced after a camp Dec. 19-23 in Helsinki. Jones and forward Ryan Hartman of the Plymouth Whalers are the only two draft eligible players on a roster Housley said will be built on speed for the international-size ice surface in Ufa, and grit for the grind of a tournament that begins with four games in five days. Canada announced its training camp roster on Monday. The three players back from the U.S. team that finished out of the medal round at the 2012 world juniors are defenceman Jacob Trouba, the Winnipeg Jetss ninth overall pick from last June, forward J.T. Miller, a New York Rangers 2011 first rounder, and Anaheim Ducks goalie prospect John Gibson. The list includes forward Alex Galchenyuk, taken third overall by the Montreal Canadiens, and his Sarnia Sting teammate and Phoenix Coyotes 2011 first rounder Connor Murphy, a defenceman. Also included were the 21st and 22nd overall picks from the 2011 draft -- Toronto Maple Leafs bruising forward prospect Tyler Biggs of the Oshawa Generals and Plymouth forward and Ottawa Senators property Stefan Noesen. The Calgary Flames lead all NHL clubs with three prospects: goalie Jon Gilles, defenceman Patrick Sieloff and forward John Gaudreau. Housley likes Sieloffs chances as a defensive defenceman. "I like the edge to his game," the coach said. "His role would be a defensive, hard to play against player." The team plans to have three goalies, seven defencemen and 13 forwards. Only three goaltenders were invited tto camp -- Gibson, Gilles and Toronto prospect Garret Sparks.dddddddddddd Also invited was forward Stefan Matteau of the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, the New Jersey Devils first rounder who is the son of former NHL winger Stephane Matteau. Notable players left off the list include Henrik Samuelsson of the Edmonton Oil Kings, the son of former NHL defenceman Ulf Samuelsson and a Phoenix first-rounder, and defenceman Jordan Schmaltz, a St. Louis Blues top pick. General manager Jim Johannson said both players failed to make the grade but are young enough to be take another shot next year. The final roster will be announced at the end of a camp Dec. 19-23 in Helsinki. Johannson said Jones would have been a "big component" on last years world juniors team had he not missed it with an injury. This year, he will get his chance to show what he can do on a world stage. "Im excited that a player of his level will be in this championship," he said. "Thats what this tournament is all about. Hes grown into a great leader." Jones may get to test himself against some of his rivals to go first overall, including Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin, who will be at Canadas camp. Galchenyuk is on a scoring tear in the Ontario Hockey League with 20 goals and 49 points in 28 games and will likely be a top-line player in Ufa. Johansson also likes what hes seen of the six-foot-two 225-pound Biggs, who has 15 goals and 31 points in the OHL. "Hes always impressed me with his leadership," Johansson said. "Hes putting up great numbers in Oshawa, and the physical aspect has always been there. "Opponents know when hes on the ice, but he makes hockey plays instead of just going around hitting guys." Housley said the three returning players will be key. Gibson will be the favourite to start in goal, while Miller is the lone invitee playing pro hockey this season in the American Hockey League for Connecticut and will likely be a candidate for captain. Trouba, playing at the University of Michigan, should be a leader on defence. "You need to have guys with leadership qualities and Jacob can provide that," Housley said. "Hes an all-around player." Two players who were not at the teams summer camp, forwards Rocco Grimaldi and Riley Barber, played their way onto the list. The U.S. opens play Dec. 27 against Germany. They play Canada in opening round action on Dec. 30. cheap jerseys from china ' ' '