Los Angeles Lakers Trade for Steve Nash, Become Contenders

For much of the Fourth of July holiday, New York Knicks fans publicly hemmed and hawed over whether they indeed wanted Steve Nash. At day's end, he was a Los Angeles Laker, perhaps inspiring some jealousy among even those Knicks fans originally opposed to Nash's arrival.  

The deal, as reported by ESPN's Marc Stein, is Steve Nash for L.A.'s first-round picks in 2013 and 2015, and their second-rounders in 2013 and 2014. The Lakers' offer trumped New York's because the Suns could get picks while taking absolutely no money back. In the sign-and-trade, Nash inked-up for three years and over $25 million. 

But forget Phoenix, as many of us will, since it looks like they won't compete for some time now. How does this trade impact the Lakers? Simply put, they should get better, despite a few challenges. 

Steve Nash is certainly an immense "Steve" upgrade over Steve Blake. He's also simply a better basketball player than Ramon Sessions. The two-time MVP is one of basketball's most devastating offensive forces, on account of top-level shooting and passing prowess.

The Lakers need spacing. Few players conjure and take advantage of space quite like Nash. There are some hindrances for this improved team, though.

Defensively, Steve Nash certainly will not help their poor pick-and-roll coverage. Offensively, there is the small matter of wresting the ball from Kobe's death grip so as to foster a more fluid attack.

These are problems, but it's a luxury for Los Angeles to have issues that may prevent a title run, as opposed to having no shot at a title at all. As it stands, the Lakers shouldn't be favored to win the 2013 NBA Finals, but a championship is in the realm of possibility. The same could not be said for last year's plus-1.4 point differential roster. 

Of course, Nash might not contribute much at the end of his contract, when he'll be 40. Lakers optimists can look to John Stockton as an example of what can be accomplished up to that point. In his final season, at the ripe age of 40, Stockton played 82 games while claiming an impressive 21.0 PER.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Nash pull off a similar feat, just as I wouldn't be surprised to see L.A. in the NBA Finals. 

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1247665-los-angeles-lakers-trade-for-steve-nash-become-contenders

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