Wouldn’t it be nice for Nash to actually show up at the office every now and then?
The veteran point guard came to Los Angeles via trade in the summer of 2012 and was soon joined by fellow new arrival Dwight Howard. There was great anticipation for the season ahead, along with hopes that Nash could still contribute at a meaningful level. Nobody was blind to the fact that he was long in the tooth with a history of back problems. And he certainly wasn’t expected to play 82 games per season.
He was, however, expected to make a difference. And perhaps help steer the team in a new direction.
After a disappointing 1-4 start to the regular season, head coach Mike Brown was fired. This was a team gunning for greatness. In a stunning twist to the story, Mike D’Antoni was hired over Phil Jackson who had led Los Angeles to five NBA titles during his two previous tenures with the team.
The reason for the surprising hire had much to do with Nash and the premise that he and D'Antoni could recreate their glory days with the Phoenix Suns and deliver an up-tempo, exciting brand of basketball.
Unfortunately, the glory days never returned, and even the most conservative of expectations weren’t met. Nash missed 32 games his first season in Los Angeles due to a fractured leg. He missed 67 games the second season due to a downward spiral of nerve root and back issues associated with the fractured leg.
And then he was declared out for all 82 games of the final season in his three-year contract.
In an official team statement, per Lakers.com, general manager Mitch K...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
