Steve Nash's Open Letter To Lakers Fans

https://www.facebook.com/stevenash?hc_location=timeline

Screw all the Nash haters. Let the man live his life. He worked his a** off trying to get back and play.

 

I have the utmost respect for Nash as an NBA player, love his passing and his shooting. But it's hard to not hate him for his time as a Laker. People point at Kobe and his contract as a hindrance to the Lakers rebuilding but I'd say Nash is as much to blame. Sure he didn't come here by choice but was rather traded for and at the time it looked like a great deal. All those draft picks traded and all the money he is getting instead of retiring really hurts right now. Just hoping he get's his back fixed and maybe he can stay as an assistant coach for the team.

 

He no doubt worked his a** off to return, it was just unfortunate that every year there was some injury to set him back. Is it his fault? Of course not. As Laker fans we were just disappointed with the outcome of what we thought would happen we we first got Steve Nash. As for the money, I honestly cannot blame him for taking it because I would have likely done the same thing. It was the teams decision to give him that contract, fully knowing the risk it involved. He's not doing anything that both sides agreed to in his contract. That $10 million is rightfully his, even if he didn't really "earn" it.

Despite the rivalry with Lakers and Suns I still respected Nash and even today with all that's happened I still do. I hope in the near future he can join our staff as an assistant, but for now if he can help at least Lin and Clarkson work on their game I'll take that.

 

Nash was good in Phoenix. He wasn't in LA...injuries or whatever, the money has been wasted. I am sorry to say it, but Steve is one of the reasons we are sucking for the 2nd straight year. It's not personal, strictly business.

 

to this day i still hold it against nash for winning that MVP award that was rightfully kobe's

i respect the hell out of the guy because it's so obvious how much hard work and effort he put into attempting to get healthy again but with the mileage he's got, it just wasn't going to happen. you can tell how badly he wants to be out there right now

 

To be honest I'm just sick and tired about this guy. Just leave it with that and personally I don't want him around this team. We've got to move on and hearing about him and his health should be least on our agendas ...

 

I'm not mad at nash. I'm mad about nash. just crap luck. I think the lakers were planning on this year being lost money from the get go (I believe mitch said as much recently). they just weren't planning on the broken leg in game 1 of his laker career.

those picks should have been late firsts.

 

He must have left this out in his rough draft of that letter, "I'm not retiring, because I want the money."

I'm happy to be one of the fans that should screw off. Like Kasumi said, if you want to show you are for LA, get your a** in the building and help these young kids. We are in the regular season, HE'S STILL UNDER CONTRACT, and he has yet to do anything for the team and he's out hitting golf balls.

 

I appreciate what Nash accomplished as a player and how hard he works. However, when he described how much pain he is in on a daily basis I couldn't help but think that he refused to listen to what his body was telling him, and in doing so screwed the Lakers over. He clearly should have accepted medical retirement last year. He would have still received his money and the Lakers would have been able to sign a quality player to replace him. Imagine if our point guard rotation was IT and Lin right now instead of Lin and Price? Or if Lance Stephenson was our starting small forward instead of Wes...the future would look much brighter.

It isn't Nash's fault that he got hurt but flat out refusing to listen to his body is absolutely on him. His foolishness hurt the team immeasurably, and that's something that is tough to forgive. I also think that Mitch, Jimmy, his agent, Kobe, or someone else close to him needed to sit him down and set him straight. I think it was a difficult conversation and no one felt comfortable telling a former MVP that it was over, so they didn't. Mistakes made all around.

And yes, Nash absolutely should be on the bench for every home game and at practice helping JC and Lin with their shooting and ball handling. He owes us so much more than that but I'll take what I can get.

 

So how long has this pain been going on? If this has been an issue since last year then not retiring is just irresponsible. I understand taking the money, I mean who wouldn't? But if you're really looking out for the organization then why do it? The pain he describes don't sound like the type you come back from in say two weeks. Those are the type that cause you to retire. But hey what's done is done.
I still respect him for trying to give it a go even though it was obvious he was never going to succeed in that. Yeah he screwed us financially. But at least next season we'll be done with that contract.

 

Thinking about it purely with regards to the world of basketball, I want Nash to come back to the Lakers in a coaching position. This would be the correct "obligational" thing to do, since it would be an act of honoring his contract to his best efforts.

However, when I think about the situation as if I were Nash's friend, I know for a fact I'd tell him to work on his own health before focusing on the Lakers. I'd tell him that it's more important to get himself emotionally and physically right before doing anything else in his life. And I'd tell him that if he really is going through all the health problems he listed, then traveling around on an NBA schedule and doing the NBA lifestyle is a horrible idea. You can't be having your whole body spazzing out every night while in a strange city and in some hotel room dude. Get your ish together before trying to honor whatever. In my opinion, Steve Nash's health - for the sake of himself, his family and taking care of his children - should be worth more than a contract. Even if that contract is worth 10 MIL. Business is business and basketball is basketball; quality of life is more important.

So if Nash comes back as a coach for the rest of the season? Great. I'm pumped to see the young guards learn. And if he doesn't come back, then that's cool too. I understand the human side of looking after himself + the fam, and I wish him the best of luck and health in the new chapters of his life.

 

Three herniated disks and sciatica all while playing golf lol. I believe his problems are real, but if its that bad why are you doing things that further aggravate it? Just not smart, but when youre still making 9.8 mill a year, I guess you say fudge it. Just a way for us to feel sorry for him which I dont simply to the fact im going through sciatica myself, if I worked for a job that payed me great money for doing tasks I am NOW no longer capable of doing, guess what happens? You either both mutually agree to part ways, or you take a different position that unfortunately makes less money but now youre fully capable of doing those tasks. Period.