Lakers fans are rejoicing after Mitch Kupchak pulled off a deal to bring 2-time MVP, Steve Nash, to Los Angeles. All the Lakers had to give up were two future 1st round picks and two future 2nd round picks. This is an amazingly small price to pay for one of the best facilitators in the NBA, but the impact of this trade goes beyond just basketball.
Does this mean the Lakers are going to win a championship though? Probably not. You'd have to be smoking some serious peyote (I see you Phil Jackson) to think they could beat the 23 and under, OKC Thunder. What this does do for the Lakers though is put them in the driver seat to be the number 2 team in the west, and potentially recruit some solid pieces to help give them a shot at a title. Kobe Bryant, for years now, has tried to do his best Jordan impression as a leader in the locker room. His brand of tough love, calling out his teammates, needling them, and demanding the most of them hasn't always produced the same infectious improvement that MJ was able to get out of his teammates. Derek Fisher was always the calm leadership presence that balanced Kobe's fire. There is a reason why Kobe has never won a title without Derek Fisher, and it's because it requires a lot from someone to put up with Kobe's behavior. Kobe's personality is one of the biggest reasons why it has been so difficult for the Lakers to recruit other talent to come play in LA. The Lakers were on the precipice of acquiring Dwight Howard last off-season, until Kobe called Dwight up and tried to sell him on the idea of being the 3rd option to him and Pau. Um... no.
With Nash, the Lakers fill the leadership void that was created with Derek Fisher's departure. Nash, from all accounts, is purely a joy to be around, on and off the court. Who wouldn't want to hang out with a guy who does shit like this or this in his free time? In Kobe's defense, the Kobe System videos are all pretty hilarious, but I still haven't forgotten about how lame his car jump was. Only Ronny Turiaf seemed to think that shit was the business.
Steve Nash is also a huge attracter from a basketball standpoint. What do Nash, Rondo, and Chris Paul have in common? They each do all the heavy lifting for their respective offenses. Those three are extremely adept at getting their teammates easy buckets. Especially for someone like Kobe, who is beginning to realize (we hope) how limited he has become in creating his own shots, Nash's ability to make Kobe's life a lot easier is a huge bonus. Think about how much money Nash has made for his former teammates. Guys like Jared Dudley, Channing Frye, and Grant Hill would've been marginal players on most teams. Amare Stoudemire and Shawn Marion are still sending gift baskets to Nash's house after the multi millions he has helped them make. Every player loves to play with a PG who can make them look really good. Nash has been the best at doing just that for the past 8-10 years. His arrival in Lakerland will convince a lot of player to want to come join their team.
If Dwight Howard isn't looking at the Lakers roster and salivating right now, he is a fool. He has to know that he has thoroughly damaged his relationship with the Magic's management. They aren't going to do anything he wants them to. Why would they reward Dwight by sending him to Brooklyn, only to get back nothing of real value? The Clippers could actually put together the most enticing offer for Dwight and the Magic if they were ready to offer Blake Griffin, but in all likelihood, that trade idea hasn't even been discussed. Magic fans recognized that the best offer on the table for Dwight is Andrew Bynum. The best thing for Dwight to do is sit down with the Orlando Magic management and say,
"I realize I burnt a lot of bridges here in Orlando. I just wanted to be on a team where I could win a title. It's selfish for me to demand that I be traded to Brooklyn, when I know that they cannot offer you guys the best package. I think the best way for both sides to get what they want is for me to be traded to the Lakers for Andrew Bynum."
Dwight would save some face with Magic fans by doing this. If he gets traded to the Lakers even without a long-term commitment, it would be difficult for him to re-sign elsewhere. The Lakers would be able to offer him the most money (an extra $25m) and provide him with the Hollywood opportunities Dwight desires. And let's face it. He'll be living in Southern California. It's basically Florida without the threat of hurricanes.
If you're Dwight Howard, what likely outcome is better than coming to the Lakers? You'll instantly be the best player in the 2nd largest media market, on a team with a spectacular lineage of dominant big men (see: Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal) and a history of championships. With Nash getting you the easiest of buckets, Kobe to score from the perimeter, and Pau (if he isn't traded) facilitating your play on both ends of the floor, you are instantaneously a title contender. Can't that core group beat Miami and OKC? I think they have a damn good shot. The added bonus for Dwight is that in two years, Pau and Kobe will be gone, and the team will be all his. Kupchak will have tons of cap room to reload the Lakers' roster around D12, and Dwight can ask for whomever he wants to come play with him.
But let's forget about Dwight for a second, and understand the deeper implications of what this Nash trade means. The Lakers just willingly mortgaged their future to acquire a 38 year old PG for three more (probably two more) years. Every criticism of the Lakers included something about how they are "too old" and "too slow" and "not athletic enough" to hang with other teams. By getting Nash though, they haven't solved any of those perceived deficiencies, but they have undoubtedly gotten better as a team. I think the Lakers are in, what I like to call, full-fledged #yolo mode. They see that Kobe has two more years left before his career is probably over. They see that their biggest competitor, the Thunder, are ready to reach the finals every year for the next 5 years. They see that Lebron James, aka the best player in the world, has finally overcome the mental blocks that plagued him throughout the 2011 season. The window for the Lakers to win a title was probably shut last season, but with Nash, it has opened just a crack.
They are two years away financially before they can restock for the future, so why not go all in on for another shot at a title? Let's say Dwight spurns the Lakers and decides to go elsewhere. What about trading Bynum to Mavericks for Nash's bff Dirk Nowitzki (fake trade courtesy of Bill Simmons, @sportsguy33)? I get that Bynum is the 2nd best center in the league, but he is still immature, injury-prone, and not an impact defender. If you're a Lakers fan, are you really comfortable having Andrew Bynum be the face of your franchise for the foreseeable future? I just threw up in my mouth a little. Dallas can't conceivably feel like they are going to sign anyone of consequence to help Dirk win another title. With Deron Williams choosing to stay with the Nets, the Mavericks are going to be rebuilding unless they acquire Dwight Howard. Why not get Bynum and at least have a piece to build around with the excess cap room they will have in 2013? It's the next best thing. For the Lakers, I think they are so much better off going for broke the next two seasons and rebuilding when all their big contracts come off the books. At the end of the day, they will still have the allure of Hollywood and one of the best GMs in basketball. Restocking should not be a problem.
Just think about this Pau, Dirk, Kobe, Nash combo for a second. Has there ever been a higher combined basketball IQ in a starting lineup? How fun would that be to watch? Dirk and Pau are a beautiful fit on offense, especially with Nash finding them in their sweet spots. Pau finally gets to return to the post, where he is most effective. Dirk dominates the high post and his shooting spaces the floor for Nash and Kobe to attack the basket. When teams double on Pau, Dirk, or Kobe (when he is in the post), Nash will be wide open from 3. Kobe also gets to remain fresh and pick his spots for when he wants to go into black mamba mode. Of course this team would be limited defending the post, but there really aren't many dominant post players in the league anymore. They would have a lot of trouble defending OKC and Miami, but I don't think that was a problem anyone else could formulate a solution for. This composition of the Lakers makes them the most dangerous offensive team in the league, with four guys you have to account for at all times. Sans getting Dwight, I think this gives them their best shot at a title. Why not push your chips all in? Laker nation, it's time to embrace the motto.
#yolo son, #yolo.
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