Thursday, July 5th, 2012 at 9:00 am  |  164 responses

Steve Nash Chose the Lakers to Stay Close to His Kids


by Marcel Mutoni / @marcel_mutoni

There were some important factors in Steve Nash’s decision to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers over his other suitors from around the NBA: the money ($27 million over three years), Kobe Bryant (Nash and KB spoke this week about playing together), and the opportunity to win a championship before he retires.

Most important of all for Steve Nash, though, is the chance to stay close to his children (who reside in Phoenix) now that he will be living and working in Los Angeles.

Nash explained the move to Hollywood, in a statement provided to ESPN:

“After talking with (owner) Robert (Sarver) and (president of basketball operations) Lon (Babby) we’ve agreed that it’s time for both of us to move in new directions. I approached them and asked if they would be willing to do a sign and trade deal with L.A. because it is very important to me to stay near my children and family. They were very apprehensive and didn’t want to do it. Fortunately for me, they reconsidered. They saw that they were able to get assets for their team that will make them better, assets they would not have otherwise had and it made sense for them to do a deal that helps their team get better.”

“I couldn’t be more grateful to the organization and Robert in particular. I know how hard this was for him and that fact that he was able to help me and my family in this way … it means a lot and says a lot about his character. I will never forget this gesture. Above and beyond. The Phoenix Suns are an amazing organization and fans should be excited about their future. I hope the Suns win a championship some day soon for all the amazing fans and wonderful people in the organization.”

According to the report, Ramon Sessions — who opted out of his contract in search of a longer, richer deal — is no longer in the Lakers’ plans going forward.

L.A. will reportedly keep the core of Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum and Steve Nash together next season as the organization looks to get back into NBA title contention.

  • Add a Comment
  • Share
  • RSS

Tags: , , , ,

← Older Comments
Newer Comments →
  • Roi

    And you can disagree with my opinion but don’t label me. I’m not a fan who reads media headlines and just regurgitates s***.

  • pposse

    nash is a leader he has intangible qualities that can’t be measured with stats. He is the ONLY guy in that whole LA organization that has a slight chance to check Kobe when he gets out of line (coach included). The only thing the lakers need to do now is get an established coach and they should be favored or atleast ranked as the preseason 2 seed behind OKC in the west.

  • pposse

    with all this being said..how is Nash still worth 8 mill a year? is his level of play going to drop?? He is damn near 40 years old, wtf big ups to him for having all these teams bidding for his services. I wonder if he will swindle the phx training staff to move to LA?

  • Heals

    @Roi, you lost me with “no where NEAR.” I understand where you’re coming from, but sleep on DWill’s “caryy-over” effect at your own peril. Also anybody think that Phx comes remotely close to drafting a player as good as Shump can be with any of those picks they got/will get from LA…

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    Man, before you debate this with I’m going to politely ask you to check out Amare’s numbers pre and post Nash and with Nash.
    Same with Marion.
    And Joe Johnson.
    And Quentin Richardson.
    Check out Boris Diaw’s career numbers and look at when his best year and Tim Thomas’ best years came.
    And look at the Suns record.
    Otherwise, it doesn’t make sense.

  • Ill Smith

    @AP All fine points. But to say Nash doesn’t make his teammates just slightly better is crazy. Calling it a narrative is trying to underplay what he’s done. Yea, the point might be overblown but like it or not Marion/Diaw/STAT/Barbosa/Dudley/Raja Bell/QRich enjoyed the most success of their careers alongside Steve Nash. You can’t argue this, SSOL or not. Nash is one of the all time GOATs at PG & to say him or Jason Kidd or Rondo don’t make the game easier for their teammates is BS. So yea, thats what we’ll go with that instead of saying better. Nash makes the game easier for his teammates. Sounds less fairytale-ish than ‘makes them better’.

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    Roi
    If you bring up the argument that Nash turned the Suns around, then that’s what you are doing because actually looking at the numbers shows that popular justification for Nash’s first MVP was ridiculously false.
    Hell, Ray Allen had nearly as much of an impact on the Sonics overall record as Nash in the same year, and his second best players was Rashard Freaking Lewis, and Ray Allen couldn’t get into the top five in MVP voting.
    I’m not pulling that stats for you, but go check he career numbers for Marion, Joe Johnson and Amare. Check what they did before Nash, with Nash and after Nash and adjust for shots and pace. It’s not hard.

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    Amare was at 20 and 9 in his second year fresh out of high school before he even met Steve Nash. He only played 55 games that year though. Biggest difference with Nash and the new system was efficiency. Amare’s catches were totally different in SSOL than they were under Frank Johnson. I’m surprised more people don’t realize this fact.

  • Ill Smith

    Oh & I did ya research for STAT’s umm….stats.

    Pre-Nash: 16.3/8.9/1.3 blocks/47%

    W/Nash: 23.2/9/1.4 blocks/57%

    Knicks Amare: 22.4/8/1.6 blocks/49%

    Peep the points & FG%. Need I say more? Makes the game easier for his teammates.

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    Making the game easier is different from making teammates better.
    And the argument wasn’t about whether he did it, the argument was about whether he did it MUCH BETTER THAN Deron Williams.
    Of course he makes things easier for teammates and improves their games. He’s a great point guard. He’s just nowhere near as good as Deron Williams and hasn’t been for at least three years. And he’s not THAT much better at making things easier for his teammates from what I’ve seen.
    People underrate that system so much. Jeremy Lin, Felton, Duhon, even Chauncey. That system is point guard steroids.

  • Ill Smith

    ‘Biggest difference with Nash and the new system was efficiency’. Is that not the EXACT same as saying ‘he makes the game easier for his teammates’?

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    Nevermind man. I can see where this went.
    Amare was more efficient because of the talent around him, including Nash and others, and the system they played in. Plus, he got to play center and hadn’t had so many injuries.
    I thought this was all common knowledge. I see it is not.

  • DoctorMontalban

    Another way he could see his kids more is to not live in Manhattan in the off-season.

  • Ill Smith

    Yea, SSOL could make any NBA PG look like an All Star. Difference is Nash got to the WCF without DAntoni. & I said DWill was better, who in their right mind would argue that? All I’m saying is Nash with Gortat/Warrick/Dudley/Frye/Grant Hill went 33-33. Replacing that nucleus with Kobe/Bynum/Gasol is a certified contender. Can you say the same for DWill/Joe/Crash?

  • http://slamonline.com LakeShow

    Co-Sign the narrative on Nash :)
    Rashard ‘freaking’ Lewis was a 20PPG scorer making more than 150, 3 pointers a season. Just thought maybe he was being slighted so I wanted to point that out. Always got Shard’s back.
    .
    I really hope that Lakers management is talking to Brown about his needing to change his offensive “philosophy.” His lack of ingenuity last year has me scared that he might try to make Nash a spot up shooter or something… Common Brown, big money, no whammies, STOP!

  • Ill Smith

    Agree to disagree. You think Nash is only a great shooter/passer who has a minimal effect on elevating his teammates game & if not for SSOL/better teammates around/coaching/injuries/Obama being elected/gas prices going up/whatever other reason you can find, Nash would have zero impact on his teammates. Gotcha.

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    Ill Smith
    You do realize that Alvin Gentry ran SSOL, right? In fact, the main reason they fired Terry Porter and hired Gentry is because he promised to bring back SSOL. It’s not the coach, it’s the system.
    Nash went .500 with a .500 team.
    You assume that the Lakers will be contenders. I think they have the potential, but every player on the roster has to make some changes. And they still have to hope Blake doesn’t get in the lab, the Thunder don’t come back hungrier than ever, and Memphis doesn’t finally put it together. All of those teams have a chance to be better than the Lakers, even with Nash.
    I said Nash makes the game easier. He is a top 10 point guard of all time. But he wasn’t playing with scrubs. Bottom line, what changed in Nash’s game from Dallas to Phoenix? Nothing except the system and the talent around him.
    And now he’s changing systems again and changing talent.

  • http://www.slamonline.com L.E.

    If you talk like in the 3:41 comment then I would think that there isn’t a player that makes another player better.
    Nash is a point Guard with a very good court vision and a big basketball IQ, that makes scoring for his teammates easier. I don’t understand why it’s so hard for you to give him credit.
    And to say, that Dallas has been to the finals twice without him is non relevant, because basketball is way to complex to say that it was because of him.
    I mean I get your point, that his teams didn’t win anything till now, but that’s not his fault. His opponents were to good.

  • http://www.slamonline.com L.E.

    ^Allen

  • http://slamonline.com Brion

    Looks like the Lakers got that defensive minded point guard to shut down opposing guards like Westbrook and CP3. Just Kidding, I hope Nash gets a ring.

  • Ill Smith

    I’m 100 Kobe is tired of these 2nd round exits. He wants #6 & Nash wants #1, they’ll make the right adjustments. Don’t underestimate hungry vets teaming up for a ring: need I bring up the squad that took it in 08? Oh & as far as the West goes Lakers, Thunder & Spurs are the only true contenders…at the moment. If Jesus walks to Memphis they jump in the mix.

  • http://slamonline.com Allenp

    LE
    Two things.
    1. I said he makes the game easier. My contention is he gets to much credit for making players BETTER. It’s hogwash.
    2. The Dallas point goes to the persistent argument that Nash made Phoenix into a juggernaut and that’s proof of how great he is. Yet folks ignore the obvious counter argument that if Nash is so great, and has been so great, how is it that the team that replaced him with Jason Terry was in the Finals within two years, had the best record in the league the year after that, and then recently won a championship.
    Look at the Mavericks run since they lost Steve Nash and look at his run since he left the Mavericks. Based on team success, which team has done more with lesser talent?

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    The funny thing about this trade that no one is talking about is what having Nash does to the Lakers on the defensive end. Everyone talks about how it’s negated by having 2 7-Footers behind him but what they fail to realize is Bynum/Gasol aren’t the greatest rim protectors out there. They are good but how many times did teams like OKC, SA, DAL and MIA attacked the rim at will against LA while Bynum/Gasol looked like deers in headlights.
    Also, the Lakers were one of the worst 3pt shooting teams last season and Nash excels when surrounded by great 3pt shooters.

  • http://slamonline.com LakeShow

    Taylor… 38 year old Fisher and Sessions were our last two PG’s… It’s not like we went from Avery Bradley to Steve Nash. We went from Sessions to Nash, we cool.
    Now the 3 point shooting is a problem. They gotta find some consistency from beyond the arc. Bynum is probably the 3rd or 4th best Center at defending the paint, so it’s not like he’s a scrub. Pau is not a defensive slouch either.
    The Lakers only upgraded by this sign and trade.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    The Lakers offense will only improve. For one, Steve Nash makes Pau Gasol more involved instantly. You have Nash, you run pick and rolls. You don’t have isolation plays that feature your post up 4 standing the corner for kick outs. Nash makes that Bynum over the top pass a complete threat. Gasol will be able to do a lot more than he was this year. Basically, Mitch Kupchak is outsmarting his owner, “you want Mike Brown and his offense? then i’m going to get us Steve Nash” — Not that any GM would have turned Nash down after Ramon Sessions and Derek Fisher but still. It was a genius move to make up for the weakness of your coach. Mike Brown’s defense will be Mike Brown’s defense, I don’t think Nash is really going to hurt them from where they were. For one, Sessions is not nearly the defender he should be, and before him, Derek Fisher is pretty horrible. So it’s not really a regression like it would be under normal circumstances.

  • http://slamonline.com LakeShow

    Co-Sign nbk essentially co-signing me.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    probably started my opinion right before you hit submit to Taylor.

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    Lake, of course they upgraded but to sit there and act like the defense isn’t going to take a major hit.
    Fisher/Sessions by any means weren’t good defenders but they atleast attempted to move their feet on D every now and then (Fisher also was excellent at drawing charges).
    The 4 teams that are the biggest challenge to the Lakers out west all employ quick, athletic PGs (CP, Russ, Conley, TP) that will force Nash and Kobe to defend them at all times.

  • http://www.kb24.com The Seed

    As a true Laker fan that have written essays about how overrated Steve Nash is, getting 2 MVP’s. I still do not like Nash getting those MVP’s and people acting like he is a top 15 point guard all time. Besides that, Nash is a good move for the Lakers, because Nash is a good shooter and passer. Nash will help Kobe when doubled and will get bigs ball better than past point guards. I like the move, but Nash plays no defense and really to me is overrated in the making players better, but for Lakers this is the best move they could make for a better point guard. BOOK IT!!

  • Rainman

    Cosign lakeshow and nbk. Lakers have never had a good defensive pg anyways. And mike browns defence is set either way. They were good on defence, horrible on offence. Nash INSTANTLY improved the offence ten fold, and doesn’t really harm their D. They basically got an offensive coach in nash, and mike brown is the defensive coach. Its like football. Good thinking mitch.

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    Look we all know that a team’s ability to get timely stops on the defensive end plays a major role in whether or not they win a championship.
    The Lakers lost to OKC because they were never able to figure out how to stop OKC’s perimeter weapons (Harden/Russ).
    The Clippers lost to SA because they had a hard time stopping TP and at times Manu from getting to the rim at will.
    The Thunder beat the Spurs because they were the first team out west to figure out a way to slow down/limit TP’s dribble drives.
    The Heat beat OKC because apart from Game 4, they were the first team to figure out a way to slow down Westbrook and Harden’s from getting the rim at will.
    The Lakers without a doubt improved on the offensive end but they still have the same problems that plagued them the past 2 seasons; lack of 3pt shooting and a backcourt that has a hard time defending athletic teams.

  • http://www.nba.com Dacre

    This will work.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    Steve Nash led the league in charges a couple years ago lol – he is a really bad defender, but he is not that much worse than already bad Derek Fisher or Ramon Sessions. He really isn’t.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    The Lakers still can’t beat Oklahoma City – their issues as a defensive team against quick PG’s will pursist. Their inability to force teams away from the pick and roll will still be their ultimate demise. LAL just has a better shot at getting lucky enough to play the right teams to make the finals now.

  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    Fair enough but do you think they can beat either SA, LA (if BGriff improves) or MEM? Those teams on their best days will be a tough matchup for the Lakers.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    The Lakers can and will beat the Clippers if they meet in the playoffs both teams healthy. SA would be a toss up. Depending on Bynum or Parker depending on which one is hummin. Memphis is still a ? as to what they will even be next season. They are not in a rosy situation over there, contrary to popular perception. They already have between $55M-$62M (depending on if Speights and Arthur except their $4M & $3M qualifying offers) allocated to next season, without a good back up guard anywhere on the roster. They aren’t in the running to win anything other than maybe 1 round in the playoffs that i can see.

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    accept*

  • http://slamonline.com LakeShow

    Agree with nbk on the defensive assesment. Nash is actually just as good at taking charges as Fisher and honestly Sessions was absolutely disgusting on defense. He was so athletic and quick I figured he’d be decent at defense. NOPE. So they stay even keel on defense and hugely upgrade their offense. No one can really guard those fast PG’s(Rose, Westbrook etc). They are virtually unguardable except for a few people and teams that are able to figure it out. The Lakers lost extrtememly close games to the Thunder. A few where they really were dominating with 4th quarter melt downs. Nash is going to help with those 4th quarter melt downs a ton. He is clutch in shooting and passing ability.
    .
    Look, obviously they are still a flawed team. Some flaws as glaring as ever (PG defense). BUT, they upgraded and they were in that series with the Thunder.
    Are the Thunder West favorites? Yes. Who’s 2nd? Lakers.
    Western Conference:
    1. Thunder
    2. Lakers
    3. Spurs
    4. Clippers
    (3 and 4 are interchangeable)
    5. Grizzlies
    6. Timberwolves
    7. Warriors
    8. Dallas

  • http://nba.com GP23

    Could LA beat the Heat though in the Finals if they made it there?

  • http://slamonline.com nbk

    Any team with two competent big men can beat the Heat imo. (Competent offensively and defensively). Would i bet on the Lakers against the Heat? No. No way. Cuz Kobe would have to guard someone, and that just doesn’t bode well for LA both offensively and defensively (All that energy spent failing at defense hurts offense). Plus Bosh, typically, is too athletic for Gasol or Bynum. But nevertheless with two seven footers and the two best offensive guards over the last decade, The Lakers have a chance (now) against everyone. A chance.

  • http://www.nba.com Dacre

    This is so awesome.

  • http://www.soundcloud.com/tray-5 T-Ray

    Damn what I miss?

  • http://www.nba.com Dacre

    T-ray. . .the back and forth on here is amazing. As a self proclaimed die hard Nash fan I love reading about him on slam threads and his move to the lakers does it for me.

  • Rainman

    Yh, but what IF (IF) the lakers get dwight? Orlando in my opinion wud have given miami issues in the playoffs. Why? Orlando has the best player at the position miami is weakest, C. Add dwight to nash kobe and pau, to go with mwp and lakers are def the favourites. And no way is bosh too quick and athletic for dwight if that happens lol

  • http://www.nba.com Dacre

    Mike Brown will look amazing as coach. If only because he will have a pg that can create for everyone else. Kobe had only ever had that with a young nick van exel. Who by the way is my second all time fav PG. . . Fisher and Steve Blake facilitate the offense. Nash creates the offense. This will be pau and bynums easiest season ever. Kobe will make it work by allowing nash to orchestrate the team plan. . . . Now about bringing Hill over. ^_^ ♡♡

  • http://Slamonline.com nbk

    Haha yea Dacre I see somethings never change on Slam

  • http://www.nba.com Dacre

    Allenp . . . What if I said that atleast he doesn’t make his team mates worse? The definition of the PG role is to get the team into the offensive sets to be vocal as a mouth piece for the coach on the floor. To look after the ball thus maintaining the possession each time on offense and essentially enable the best shot option is taken. Now where many call nash the kind of player that MAKES his team mates better is based on way he finds those guys so well. . How many times has Nash bounce passed to an open guy through someone’s legs or flicked a hook pass to the open shooter out of the base line? Other PG s take that shot instead or don’t even create that opportunity . In this way nash makes these guys better. He doesn’t make them shoot better or be better but he maximizes on where they are on the floor. They are made better in that sense.

  • http://www.slamonline.com JTaylor21

    Lakers with the All Lowtop Backcourt

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OhGZNLPSOY&feature=related Allenp

    No more arguing about Nash for me. Two different arguments today about Nash and Deron. I’ll just wait until October and keep my mouth shut.

  • http://www.slamonline.com Redd

    Lakers are seriously favorites over the Spurs? No way.

← Older Comments
Newer Comments →
Advertisement