Byron Scott Potentially Moving Nash To The Bench

Good idea to make Lin the starter and frankly for someone coming off the bench I like what I have seen from Price even if it is just 2 pre-season games. He is hustle and gritty guy. Heck, I even saw him yelling at some of our guys late in Sunday's game for some defensive lapses.

 

This is, potentially, a great move.

 

So far I've really liked what I've heard from Byron (not surprising to me). When Nash looked fit and ready to go, Byron was all for it and supported him starting. Now that it looks like he's going to have issues again, Byron is doing the right thing: put him on the bench and let Lin run the show.

 

Welcome to the rotation Clarkson.

 

To use a football term, Nash is like a "candle" now... One blow and he's out. Unfortunate wind-down to a hallowed career.

 

Move him to the bench?

Naw son, move him to the outhouse. He's done!

$30 million doesn't go as far as it used to.

 

Sounds like Byron might have the guts to do what 'Antoni never would out of loyalty. As mentioned, you can't develop chemistry with your starters if they are changing every few games. Nash can't be hanging over this team in that way, "will he or won't he play" every single night. The team will never get a rhythm going like that, Lin needs to start.

If Nash can't stay on the court he'll need to be moved to the end of the bench and forgotten as well, nobody with the Lakers owes him any favors or owes him the opportunity to prove to himself he can still hang in the NBA for 15 minutes once a month. This is a professional team trying to move forward and improve, not Nash's personal gym. I don't care if he's an all time great, he shouldn't get the freedom to come and go with the team that he does, to play and not play whenever he's not "not feelin it, coach". I think we're at the point where nothing more is owed to the guy because of his name, the Lakefs tried to move on, you wouldn't, just collect your checks like you wanted and don't punish the team further.

 

I've got sort of mixed feelings really overall.

I'm totally with @Weezy about Nash ruining chemistry. C'mon man how are we supposed to get a rhythm and feel for each other if Nash is in the lineup once every two weeks and robbing time in practice? We're a rebuilding team that needs to focus on our young players, Lin and Clarkson being two of the main pieces in that regard. We don't have time to waste on trying to revive the career of a 40 year old man with chronic nerve issues. It's not fair to us.

On the other hand I also understand the Lakers' perspective. We're a "player's team" or at least we're trying to be. If you don't think giving Kobe that huge contract when we gave it to him was a design in that respect then go listen to EVERY statement Kobe has made about the organization since the contract was signed. It's ALL about making the franchise attractive to other players in order to draw them away even if we can't offer the same amount of cash. That means giving veterans a lot of leeway and a lot of cash.

That being said, someone ought to have a frank conversation with him and I hope someone has. You don't have to directly ask him to retire, but stepping away from basketball there should be a concern for his well-being. He's 40 years old and has chronic lower back pain and nerve damage. That could mean surgery in another 10-15 years. If it continues to get worse it could mean a wheelchair late in his life. Someone should tell him that he really should retire for himself. The team won't ASK him to, but as human beings they need to give him that advice.

Turn him into a coach. Give him a Player Coach title and pay him all the money from his contract over the next couple years, but please please please take the basketball out of his hand. He's done.