LINKSteve Nash recently tried to sway Dwight Howard to stay. Now that the center is with the Houston Rockets, Nash looks forward to Pau Gasol taking on a bigger role in the offense.
"I think [Gasol] gives a little more fluidity. The ball can move more," Nash said Sunday at his Steve Nash Foundation Showdown/soccer match. "We can use him as a facilitator. He's such a versatile player that it's going to be a lot of fun to have him making plays and scoring inside."
Gasol spent much of the season injured or a spectator in the offense as the Lakers tried to feature Howard. It's no coincidence that when Coach Mike D'Antoni gave Gasol a more prominent place in the offense, the Lakers finished the regular season playing some of their best basketball.
"He chose to go somewhere else, I wish him the best," Nash said of Howard. "If he doesn't want to be here, we don't want someone who is unhappy."
The Lakers have signed center Chris Kaman to either start alongside Gasol or to play behind him off the bench.
"At times I think they'll play together some, but they'll also sub out for each other," said Nash of Gasol and Kaman.
Jordan Farmar is expected to join the team shortly. The Lakers also signed swingmen Nick Young and Wesley Johnson.
"It's great to get some youth and athleticism on our team," Nash said. "I think it was something that was sorely missed last year."
Nash struggled through much of the season with injury. He broke his leg in the second game of the year and finished hurt with hip, hamstring and back issues.
"I'm still rehabbing but I'm getting there and I'm feeling strong," said Nash. "I still have a little bit to go but I'll be ready to go."
I'm not worried about the offense. Like Nash said, the offense will be much more fluid with Pau in the pivot. He can score on the block, pass to cutters and spot up chuckers, etc. I'm worried about giving up 12ppg.
this lesbian
The Lakers offense is always fluid when Kobe is on the court
Lakers will suck this year but honestly letting Dwight go was the right decision. It made no sense at the time how not getting Carlos Boozer, Yao Ming, or Kevin Garnett would work in the Lakers favor. I remember everyone laughing their assess off at the organization, then they got Pau and everyone was like....ah the NBA is rigged though :'(. Not to mention Popovich crying like a Croatian over how unfair it was to trade draft picks and a guy by the name of Marc gasol to the Grizz.
What are they gonna do for the 25-30 games Nash misses for injuries/child dodging?
we're not salty
piss is a fluid..like piss poor
piss is a fluid..like piss poor
Will Lakerfan ever stop being salty over Bible Kemp or are they just going to flood the board with these butthurt threads for the rest of their lives?
they are pisesd they misesd out on biblekemp genes
I know some of you Laker fans act like Dwight is not a huge loss, but tbh, it is. Dwight's defensive presence alone was the real reason the Lakers made the playoffs not Kobe Johnson's play as the media likes to portray it.
I don't even like Dwight but having him in your franchise along with another possible big time FA in 2014 and 2015 would catapult the Lakers back into contention in such a short amount of time. Now they're left with scraps (Rondo, Melo, Love)
I dont disagree, I was rooting for Dwight to LA since 2009. But the timing was wrong, the Lakers have been avoiding rebuilding for so long it bit them in the ass. They need to rebuild for more than just 2014 since they delayed the process, maybe till 2016-17 before they have a respectful team and why should Dwight deal with that many years of mediocrity?
Aside from Lebron in which we're not getting him, who is a homerun in 2014? Carmelo seems to be the best player Lakers are eyeing and I'm sorry a team of Carmelo and Dwight isn't special. But I still don't think Dwight is all that great anymore, even if he re-signed with the Lakers, he has lost a ton of athleticism.
The Lakers need to rebuild now for a minimum of 4-5 years before they are contenders, I understand why Dwight had to leave. I also think Kobe may find himself not retiring as a Laker if he continues to demand a max contract after this season. Lakers will still be the most interesting soap opera in all of sports for the next year or so.
Like offense is our problem, classic of Nash not to talk about defense.
Too early to re-write history.
All valid and fair points, and I agree, a Melo-Howard tandem really is no better, in fact I'd say its worse than a Kobe-Howard duo. And I believe that though Kobe brought a lot to the table during his heyday, L.A's and/or the Buss loyalty has caused their franchise a huge amount of opportunity to move forward by opting to keep Kobe and run their cash cow for as long as he can walk, and this why I'm also in agreement that the rebuilding process is well beyond the 2016 season.
And its also true that Howard and another big time FA will not bring a championship to the Lakers, given the realistic options, but I always felt with Howard their odds increases by two fold and the Lakers are within striking distance with him in the middle, additionally, the Lakers being what they are, its plausible they can pull another deal somewhere along the way that would put them above the compe ion. I just feel like Dwight is a huge part of any team who seriously wants to win a championship.
Lakers struck gold with Kobe, Shaq, Gasol and Jackson, just like the Spurs did with Duncan, Pop, Parker and Manu. Those were a once in a lifetime opportunity tbh.
Steve Nash hoping and praying Dwight doesn't do well in Houston.
actually I feel as if the whole city of Los Angeles is going to be watching Dwight for that I told you so moment.
Rockets fans on the other hand just happy to possibly get of the 14th pick we been in the last couple years.
Feel blessed real laker fans, if your team falters, all the real fans will stay and the rest will just join a different wagon.
Of course, it's only human. Everybody claims otherwise, but, it's pure bull . I hope Howard, slips, falls and breaks his leg. If he plays I hope he puts you thru a living with the free throws. I hope he runs off McHale's white ass. And I hope Asik takes a fit and makes in the middle of the locker room.
You got one way, bub:::
make the playoffs
win the last game you play.
Otherwise, I'm comin' after your fandom, and daddy-O, I'm comin' hard. & this? Please. This will be a Sunday ing school picnic compared to what I have in store for your asses.
- Pappy
nga you haven't lived through the pains of being a rockets fan the past 15 years
From Walt Williams to moochie Norris to Charlie Ward, stromile swift, Ryan Bowen etc
Lakers had their way for many years, but unfortunately, it's time for "The reckoning"
They need Dwight Howard on the defensive end. Without him, they will be horrible defensively.
DH is an offensive liability in some way and I do believe Kaman will do a better job for the Lakers offensively. It's an obvious downgrade at the defensive end but who gives a about D while playing under _'Antoni? He usually collects 20 something points a game from 2nd chance scores and alley-oops but he doesn't make the team's offense any better, Duncan scores less but he has a brain under his skull to know what he should do to help his team the most he's capable of, which the chocolate-colored monkey (DMC quote) doesn't have.
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