Steve Nash (Photo credit: Wikipedia)In a stunning move, the Suns sent Steve Nash to the Lakers Wednesday in a sign-and-trade that reverberated from coast-to-coast in the NBA -- not to mention north of the border.
Nash, 38, will team will Kobe Bryant in a move that gives the All-Star point guard the best chance of his career to win a title. The deal for future draft picks and cash came at the expense of the Toronto Raptors, who'd relentlessly pursued Nash on the open market, and the New York Knicks, who were trying to lure him with their own sign-and-trade proposal.
Nash fits into the $8.2 million trade exception the Lakers received for dumping Lamar Odom on the Mavs before last season.
Bryant will play alongside the most prolific offensive point guard of his career, and the Lakers once again become legitimate title contenders as Bryant chases a sixth championship to equal Michael Jordan in the twilight of his career. But even as the mind blurs at the thought of Nash distributing to Bryant, Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol, the deal raises so many more questions.
Would the Lakers venture deeper into trade talks with Orlando for Dwight Howard, or put their trust in Bynum -- whose immaturity rivals that of Howard but whose offensive skills far exceed those of the Magic All-Star? Will statistical paradigms explode with the possibility of Nash, the most skilled playmaker of his generation, making plays for Gasol, as gifted an offensive big man as there is in the league?
One ripple effect seems certain: After the Nets used their cap space to acquire Joe Johnson from the Hawks and re-sign Gerald Wallace, resulting in a five-year commitment from point guard Deron Williams, the Knicks would seem to be the favorites to land another Hall of Famer point guard, Jason Kidd. The Mavs, who chased Williams and also plan to pursue Knicks restricted free agent Jeremy Lin, also will be in the mix for Kidd.
So in the span of 48 hours, NBA stars have aligned on opposite coasts. The Nets loaded up on star power for their move to Brooklyn next season, and the Lakers went from being a stale, predictable offensive team to having one of the most creative, play-making point guards ever to play. Though he's endured back trouble, Nash remains an impactful playmaker who will breathe new life into the Lakers' offense even at age 38.
A significant motivating factor for Nash, according to sources, was finding a team where he could be close to the children he had with his ex-wife. Nash followed through on that desire, accepting about $10-$12 million less from the Lakers than he could've gotten from the Raptors in a return to his homeland of Canada.
As for the Suns, they reportedly get two future first-round picks and two future second-round picks. That, along with $3 million cash, made it easier for Suns owner Robert Sarver to send Nash to a Western Conference rival. Money talks in the NBA, and so does cheap labor needed for rebuilding.
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