Nash is out for the season (again)

[Dolemite censored]

BREAKING: Steve Nash Expected To Be Ruled Out For 2014-15 Season | Lakers Nation

Well who didn't see this coming?

That dude totally scammed the Lakers this last 3 years.

What a waste of a roster spot and money.

 

[Dolemite censored]

I never did like the Lakers getting him so late in his career.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

That minutes average was higher than in Nash's final season in Phoenix and almost the same as Nash's average over his last four years as a Sun (32.9). Limiting Nash's minutes always helped keep him fresher on the court and allowed him to play at peak efficiency and maximum productivity to a greater extent. More minutes, conversely, would have resulted in more fatigue and possible worse numbers.

That said, yes, Nash certainly was not awful in that first year, but he basically emerged as an overpriced, glorified version of Steve Blake. Worse, his defensive liabilities forced Kobe Bryant to often defend quick points guards such as Chris Paul, Tony Parker, and Russell Westbrook, which was not what Bryant should have been doing at the age of thirty-four and in his seventeenth NBA season. Instead of trying to pair Bryant with another ball-dominating guard, the Lakers should have paired him with a young defensive guard who could have allowed Kobe to rest on that end of the court.

... because Bryant was ultimately going to dominate the ball offensively no matter what. I don't care if Kobe had been playing alongside a prime Magic Johnson; he was going to want the ball in his hands.

Well, the front office did get CP3 for a split second, then they got Nash as plan B.

 

[GMATCa]

Well, the front office did get CP3 for a split second, then they got Nash as plan B.

Yes, but the Lakers 'temporarily' acquired Paul prior to the 2012 season, whereas they acquired Nash after the 2012 season. At that point, in the summer of 2012, the Lakers could have looked to 'preserve' Bryant by acquiring a young defensive hound dog (someone along the lines of Avery Bradley in Boston, although probably not Bradley himself) who could have shared in the ball-handling and stuck the occasional open three, but who otherwise would have gotten out of Bryant's way on offense. Think along the lines of a prime Lindsey Hunter, or even a younger Derek Fisher. I don't know who that player would have been specifically, but that's the model that would have made the most sense. Bryant was always going to dominate the ball offensively, so the way to help him conserve energy would have been on the defensive end. (Granted, I did not think of this idea until late in the 2013 season, but unlike Mitch Kupchak, I am not paid a high salary to ponder such matters for hours per day.)

Paul actually would have presented some of the same problems as Nash, namely that he is a dribble-heavy, ball-dominating guard who would have been attempting to function in the same back-court as Bryant. But at least Paul would have been healthy and would not have forced Bryant to scramble after quick point guards in perpetual pick-and-rolls.

 

[GMATCa]

I think he's done as a player in the league and I would be shocked if he doesn't retire after the season. I would love to see the Lakers offer him a job as an assistant coach or as a "special consultant" to work with the PG's. Something similar to the deal they have with Kareem to work with the bigs.

You're probably right. However, Nash is just stubborn enough to try to play again if he's feeling better come summertime. Maybe he will finally go back to his native Canada and try to play a backup role for the Raptors, especially now that they constitute an Eastern Conference contender.

 

[GMATCa]

They did and they got him. Unfortunately, his body fell apart on him beginning that same season. Did you mean they should have tried about 3 years before the did? Because I agree with that wholeheartedly.

The Lakers traded for him two-plus years ago, in the summer of 2012. Had they managed to do so after the 2011 season, or after the 2011 lockout, the Lakers could have enjoyed one more good, healthy season from Nash, while he would have enjoyed one more chance to legitimately compete for a championship.

In retrospect, an offer of Andrew Bynum and a pick in exchange for Nash might have worked. I don't know that either side would have gone for such a deal at the time, but such a proposal would have been worthy of mutual contemplation.

Expanding the notion a little, the Suns could have traded Steve Nash, Marcin Gortat, and Grant Hill (in a sign-and-trade) to the Lakers for Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom, and a future first round draft pick.

 

[trojanfan12]

The Lakers traded for him two-plus years ago, in the summer of 2012. Had they managed to do so after the 2011 season, or after the 2011 lockout, the Lakers could have enjoyed one more good, healthy season from Nash, while he would have enjoyed one more chance to legitimately compete for a championship.

In retrospect, an offer of Andrew Bynum and a pick in exchange for Nash might have worked. I don't know that either side would have gone for such a deal at the time, but such a proposal would have been worthy of mutual contemplation.

Expanding the notion a little, the Suns could have traded Steve Nash, Marcin Gortat, and Grant Hill (in a sign-and-trade) to the Lakers for Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom, and a future first round draft pick.

Okay, I was counting this year as the 3rd year. Yeah, would have been awesome to see him play for the Lakers at close to the level he was at playing for the Suns.

 

[trojanfan12]

You're probably right. However, Nash is just stubborn enough to try to play again if he's feeling better come summertime. Maybe he will finally go back to his native Canada and try to play a backup role for the Raptors, especially now that they constitute an Eastern Conference contender.

True. I feel for the guy. I was following what he was doing to try and get back healthy for this season and he did literally anything and everything he could. That's part of the reason I don't hold the money he's getting against him.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Yes, but the Lakers 'temporarily' acquired Paul prior to the 2012 season, whereas they acquired Nash after the 2012 season. At that point, in the summer of 2012, the Lakers could have looked to 'preserve' Bryant by acquiring a young defensive hound dog (someone along the lines of Avery Bradley in Boston, although probably not Bradley himself) who could have shared in the ball-handling and stuck the occasional open three, but who otherwise would have gotten out of Bryant's way on offense. Think along the lines of a prime Lindsey Hunter, or even a younger Derek Fisher. I don't know who that player would have been specifically, but that's the model that would have made the most sense. Bryant was always going to dominate the ball offensively, so the way to help him conserve energy would have been on the defensive end. (Granted, I did not think of this idea until late in the 2013 season, but unlike Mitch Kupchak, I am not paid a high salary to ponder such matters for hours per day.)

Paul actually would have presented some of the same problems as Nash, namely that he is a dribble-heavy, ball-dominating guard who would have been attempting to function in the same back-court as Bryant. But at least Paul would have been healthy and would not have forced Bryant to scramble after quick point guards in perpetual pick-and-rolls.

As much as I'd like to, I can't really disagree with any of this. It's part of the reason why the Lakers continue to be unsuccessful.

 

[Dougie McBuckets]

This is Steve Nash's legacy to me: If you ban dunks, he'd be one of the most unbeatable players in HORSE in NBA history.

 

[lakersrule]

Dude still hasn't shown up at the practice facility. I'm sure he feels bad about not being able to play, but I think enough time has passed that he should be around during practices and mentoring the PGs. He doesn't live far from El Segundo.

 

[trojanfan12]

Dude still hasn't shown up at the practice facility. I'm sure he feels bad about not being able to play, but I think enough time has passed that he should be around during practices and mentoring the PGs. He doesn't live far from El Segundo.

According to Byron, he's spending time with his family and coming to grips with the end of his career. I can understand why he might need some time. Plus, when you consider the level that he played at the season before he came to the Lakers, I'm sure he feels like his career was ripped away from him suddenly. Which has to make it even tougher for him.

There wasn't really a gradual decline where he could see the end coming. Logically, he had to know that he's pushing 40 and was already much closer to the end of his career than the beginning, but emotionally it's gotta be tough to not get to go out on his own terms after such an amazing career.

Byron doesn't seem to be have much of an issue with it, so I'm not going to either. Byron might just be "saying what he has to say" but I can see where he'd want to give him as much time as he needs.

 

[GMATCa]

According to Byron, he's spending time with his family and coming to grips with the end of his career. I can understand why he might need some time. Plus, when you consider the level that he played at the season before he came to the Lakers, I'm sure he feels like his career was ripped away from him suddenly. Which has to make it even tougher for him.

There wasn't really a gradual decline where he could see the end coming. Logically, he had to know that he's pushing 40 and was already much closer to the end of his career than the beginning, but emotionally it's gotta be tough to not get to go out on his own terms after such an amazing career.

Byron doesn't seem to be have much of an issue with it, so I'm not going to either. Byron might just be "saying what he has to say" but I can see where he'd want to give him as much time as he needs.

Hasn't he had enough time, over the last eighteen-to-twenty-four months, to sit at home and reflect upon his career coming to a close? Really, since the spring of 2013, he must have been able to realize that retirement now loomed as a portending reality. Nash could have retired then, or he could have retired after last season. I do not blame him for wanting to collect every last cent, but his fade into retirement with the Lakers has been slow and long-evident. I could understand if we were going back two years and he had just been playing at a fairly high level with Phoenix several months earlier, but Nash is now long removed from that juncture. If he does have anything to contribute to the Lakers while he remains under contract, he might as well be doing it now. As far as his family is concerned, he does not need to travel on road trips.

If retirement is coming as a shock to you when you are thirty-eight-to-forty years old and perpetually banged up and missing more games than you play, then you must be a tad delusional ...