Unable to Overcome Ongoing Back Issues, Steve Nash to Miss 2014-15 Season

This topic contains 16 replies, has 8 voices, and was last updated by theprophet 11 years, 8 months ago.

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Posted on: Thu, 10/23/2014 - 2:09pm #58212

McDunkin
LOS ANGELES — The latest and perhaps last setback of Steve Nash’s disappointing tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers has come.
Nash is expected to be ruled out for the 2014-15 NBA season because of recurring nerve damage in his back, according to league sources.
Nash, 40, had said he expects this 19th NBA season to be his final one. But he has not announced his retirement. Nash has not stated an intention of playing for a team away from Los Angeles and his children, saying in March that he would be done if the Lakers used their stretch provision to cut him for salary-cap savings: “That would be it. I’ll either be back here or I’ll be done.”
Now, Nash might try to dream anew of more rest for a full year and one more shot. But Nash’s body has simply told him that it isn’t up to playing NBA basketball, as much as his words have been telling people that he still loves playing and believes he can contribute if allowed.
Nash hurt himself last season getting out of bed. A week ago, he hurt himself carrying his bags.
He has continued to search for a way to shake the nerve issues—undertaking fanatical strengthening workouts at times and resting at others.
This is, at heart, the same person who decided he didn’t want to sit out as a teenager and got a buddy to help him cut a cast off his broken arm and played in his league basketball game that night.
He has also acknowledged wanting to collect the $9.7 million due him for this last year.
But Nash’s decision Thursday is a real acknowledgement of how little ground he is gaining so far away from his youth with an uphill battle this steep.
Nash was selected an All-Star by the league’s coaches as recently as 2012–the only other All-Stars age 38 or older are Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone and Michael Jordan—prompting the Lakers to jump at the chance to land him that summer.
It is instead going down as one of the Lakers’ worst deals: They haven’t won a playoff game since and they gave up first-round picks in 2013 and ’15 (top-five protected) and second-round picks in ’13 and ’14 to the Phoenix Suns so they could pay Nash $27 million over three years. They also got almost nothing out of the idea that by pairing Nash with his coach in Phoenix, Mike D’Antoni, the Lakers would create a latter-day “Showtime” pick-and-roll era.
The promise of the Lakers coming together immediately with Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol and Nash in 2012 was sidetracked in just their second game together. Nash fractured his left leg trying to defend Portland’s Damian Lillard upcourt, and an array of nerve issues ensued for Nash.
As much as Nash has found he loves living in L.A., almost everything else has been a nightmare for him as a Laker. He admitted he fell into an abyss personally last season before finding a fresh perspective.
“I was in a really, really bad place last year during the winter,” Nash said at the start of camp this year. “I was largely unaware of how bad I was until I got out of it. Now I realize this is my last year. There’s no guarantee I’ll get to play any games this year. The truth is, I have a lot of miles on my back, and a day or two into training camp, it could all be done.”
Nash and Lakers executives had been optimistic about him having some degree of success based on how healthy he felt in the offseason, even with two-a-day workouts. Even though Nash played just 15 games last season, hope was created by how well Nash played in late-summer pickup games.
The two-time NBA MVP played one exhibition game Oct. 6 but felt discomfort in the first quarter of his next one Oct. 12; he has worked out only individually since then, getting a feel for the lack of progress.
Jeremy Lin’s opportunity to restart his career opens further with Nash out of the picture. Ronnie Price, 31, has been a good fit in training camp with Byron Scott’s defense-intensive approach, and Price is in line for point-guard minutes ahead of rookie combo guard Jordan Clarkson.
By any account, Nash’s career has been incredible despite these recent years. He has persevered through a congenital condition called spondylolisthesis that involves the displacement of vertebrae in his back, and despite the fact that he wasn’t initially recruited by any college basketball program.
Today, despite the latest setback, Nash ranks first in league history in free-throw percentage (90.4). He is third with 10,335 assists, and he is one of 10 players in league history to have won consecutive NBA MVP awards.
http://m.bleacherreport.com/articles/2242777-unable-to-overcome-ongoing-back-issues-steve-nash-to-miss-2014-15-season?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=programming-national?is_shared=true
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Posted on: Thu, 10/23/2014 - 2:32pm #952580

King Calucha
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There’s a provision in the new CBA, which allows the Lakers to sign a free agent for a fraction of Nash’s salary.
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- Posted on: Thu, 10/23/2014 - 4:46pm #952610
  
  Mopgrass
  Participant
  The disabled player exemption allows them to add half his contract. Between that and their slight cap space, they can take on about $5 million (off the top of my head). I don’t remember the Pacers doing much with their exemption. I don’t they’ll shoot for a solid player. I think they’d be willing to eat a bad, expiring contract for a low 1st draft pick. I’m not sure anyone will bite and besides, Philly is a better place to dump contracts, as they have more cap space.
  Essentially, I’m not sure how it would help.
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- Posted on: Thu, 10/23/2014 - 4:46pm #952750
  
  Mopgrass
  Participant
  The disabled player exemption allows them to add half his contract. Between that and their slight cap space, they can take on about $5 million (off the top of my head). I don’t remember the Pacers doing much with their exemption. I don’t they’ll shoot for a solid player. I think they’d be willing to eat a bad, expiring contract for a low 1st draft pick. I’m not sure anyone will bite and besides, Philly is a better place to dump contracts, as they have more cap space.
  Essentially, I’m not sure how it would help.
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Posted on: Thu, 10/23/2014 - 2:32pm #952719

King Calucha
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There’s a provision in the new CBA, which allows the Lakers to sign a free agent for a fraction of Nash’s salary.
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Posted on: Thu, 10/23/2014 - 3:14pm #952586

llperez
Too bad it ended like this. But he will forever be remembered as one of the most skilled ever to play. I mean if you Seperate physical attributes like height and athleticism and simply look at skills, he is in the discussion for best ever to play the game.
As for the lakers, don’t want to sound harsh, but this is the best thing for the team. They need defense and Nash didn’t bring that. Ronnie price and Jeremy Lin will handle the duties well with Jordan clarkson in the mix waiting for his opportunity
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Posted on: Thu, 10/23/2014 - 3:14pm #952725

llperez
Too bad it ended like this. But he will forever be remembered as one of the most skilled ever to play. I mean if you Seperate physical attributes like height and athleticism and simply look at skills, he is in the discussion for best ever to play the game.
As for the lakers, don’t want to sound harsh, but this is the best thing for the team. They need defense and Nash didn’t bring that. Ronnie price and Jeremy Lin will handle the duties well with Jordan clarkson in the mix waiting for his opportunity
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Posted on: Thu, 10/23/2014 - 3:25pm #952594

220
Participant
So it clearly seems it was Phoenix’s incredible medical staff that managed to keep Steve Nash mostly healthy throughout his time there. Phoenix still seems like the place for any player with injury problems to regain their health and extend their careers.
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- Posted on: Thu, 10/23/2014 - 7:23pm #952630
  
  doubledribbler
  Participant
  You look at that staff and you see the miracles that they have done with guys, then you also see what happens to guys after they leave. Possibly a coincidence, but I don’t think so. There seems to be enough of a track record for what they are doing. These people deserve a raise and the GM might want to consider bringing in more guys that fit the talented but injured model. I wonder if that is why Eric Gordon was wanting to go there so badly a few years ago.
  People forget that part of the reason that Mavs didn’t go so hard after Nash was because of the back issues. If I remember correctly he was having to sit out parts of playoff games because it would get so bad. He goes to Phx and stays healthy while winning two MVPS (probably should have just been one though) in a non-stop fast paced offense. He goes to LA and cannot stay upright.
  Nash was a great player. I’ve never really been a fan of the all offense no defense guys, but he was fun to watch. Great vision, creative playmaking and not only great shooting, but he could hit pretty much anything he put up. I remember him being on the bench his first time in Phoenix behind Kevin Johnson and Jason Kidd (and sadly this probably happens to some other really good players and they never get the chance). I also remember the stories about Nelson telling Nash that if he didn’t shoot more that he was going to bench him and stop playing him. Hopefully he moves on to whatever he wants to do and his back gets better.
  
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- Posted on: Thu, 10/23/2014 - 7:23pm #952769
  
  doubledribbler
  Participant
  You look at that staff and you see the miracles that they have done with guys, then you also see what happens to guys after they leave. Possibly a coincidence, but I don’t think so. There seems to be enough of a track record for what they are doing. These people deserve a raise and the GM might want to consider bringing in more guys that fit the talented but injured model. I wonder if that is why Eric Gordon was wanting to go there so badly a few years ago.
  People forget that part of the reason that Mavs didn’t go so hard after Nash was because of the back issues. If I remember correctly he was having to sit out parts of playoff games because it would get so bad. He goes to Phx and stays healthy while winning two MVPS (probably should have just been one though) in a non-stop fast paced offense. He goes to LA and cannot stay upright.
  Nash was a great player. I’ve never really been a fan of the all offense no defense guys, but he was fun to watch. Great vision, creative playmaking and not only great shooting, but he could hit pretty much anything he put up. I remember him being on the bench his first time in Phoenix behind Kevin Johnson and Jason Kidd (and sadly this probably happens to some other really good players and they never get the chance). I also remember the stories about Nelson telling Nash that if he didn’t shoot more that he was going to bench him and stop playing him. Hopefully he moves on to whatever he wants to do and his back gets better.
  
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Posted on: Thu, 10/23/2014 - 3:25pm #952734

220
Participant
So it clearly seems it was Phoenix’s incredible medical staff that managed to keep Steve Nash mostly healthy throughout his time there. Phoenix still seems like the place for any player with injury problems to regain their health and extend their careers.
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Posted on: Thu, 10/23/2014 - 4:57pm #952614
Rip255
Nash was the biggest offensive juggernaught I have ever seen. Go check out the offensive rating stats of the teams he led in Phoenix and Dallas. I believe his teams were #1 in the league for 8 or 9 years straight.
He is in the conversation for the following:
- Greatest shooters ever
- Greatest passers ever
- Greatest playmakers ever
There has never been anyone able to run an offense like Steve Nash in the history of basketball.

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Posted on: Thu, 10/23/2014 - 4:57pm #952754
Rip255
Nash was the biggest offensive juggernaught I have ever seen. Go check out the offensive rating stats of the teams he led in Phoenix and Dallas. I believe his teams were #1 in the league for 8 or 9 years straight.
He is in the conversation for the following:
- Greatest shooters ever
- Greatest passers ever
- Greatest playmakers ever
There has never been anyone able to run an offense like Steve Nash in the history of basketball.

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Posted on: Fri, 10/24/2014 - 12:59am #952640

ExumInferno
Participant
There is another part of this story, Linsanity 2. Lin gets big minutes now.
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Posted on: Fri, 10/24/2014 - 12:59am #952780

ExumInferno
Participant
There is another part of this story, Linsanity 2. Lin gets big minutes now.
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Posted on: Fri, 10/24/2014 - 7:40am #952688

theprophet
Participant
the only way steve nash could beat the lakers is by joining them to ruin their team. as good as a player as nash was, i disregard both his mvp’s. despite steve nash’s offensive skills and use of his personal talent to his maximum level, i can’t credit a guy that has never played defense in his life. to me it’s a similar debate to the mlb one. david ortiz should never get mvp consideration as a designated hitter. he never played defense either. he had joe johnson and amare stoudemire while they were pretty darn good in a d’antoni system that catered to him. kind of like a few’s opinions in bastardinabaskets vote by position posts a while back, it was said that james harden could be the best 2 guard in the league and strangely the most overrated 2 guard in the league. i believe that of steve nash as an all time point guard. he’s for sure a hall of famer because the stars aligned the right way for him.
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Posted on: Fri, 10/24/2014 - 7:40am #952827

theprophet
Participant
the only way steve nash could beat the lakers is by joining them to ruin their team. as good as a player as nash was, i disregard both his mvp’s. despite steve nash’s offensive skills and use of his personal talent to his maximum level, i can’t credit a guy that has never played defense in his life. to me it’s a similar debate to the mlb one. david ortiz should never get mvp consideration as a designated hitter. he never played defense either. he had joe johnson and amare stoudemire while they were pretty darn good in a d’antoni system that catered to him. kind of like a few’s opinions in bastardinabaskets vote by position posts a while back, it was said that james harden could be the best 2 guard in the league and strangely the most overrated 2 guard in the league. i believe that of steve nash as an all time point guard. he’s for sure a hall of famer because the stars aligned the right way for him.
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