"Steve Nash yesterday downplayed the never-ending rumors of him coming to the Knicks, and the recent reports of him possibly being traded to Minnesota.

The Suns point guard may spend his offseasons living in SoHo, but he insists he'll spend this season, and possibly several more, playing in Phoenix.

"I have a contract with the Suns. If I were to be moved, I could go anywhere, but I don't even consider that. I feel like I'm going to be in Phoenix this year and hopefully beyond," said Nash, 37, who was in SoHo yesterday to promote his Showdown in Chinatown charity soccer event.

Nash deflected questions about signing with the Knicks after his contract expires next summer.

"Right now I'm just focused on Phoenix," he said. "Hopefully this year is better than last, and then I'll be ready to keep playing in Phoenix if we can continue to build the team and get back to where we were two years ago, fighting for a championship."

With former Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni and ex-Sun Amar'e Stoudemire -- and quiet concerns about Chauncey Billups -- the Knicks had internal discussions about acquiring Nash, who fanned the flames in an interview last year with David Letterman."