Nash to Lakers - sign and trade - 3yr - $25m

[Riff Raff]

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/story/_/id/8130840/sources-steve-nash-headed-los-angeles-lakers-sign-trade-deal

For four picks and a whole lot of favours to Nash.

I am a bit surprised PHO would help LAL given history.

As a Canuck I really hoped he'd come home to play but the Raps are no where near a title ... and i'll be not even the playoffs.

[Stephen]

Awesome. One of my favorite players to my favorite team.

I was shocked to see that the Suns traded him to the Lakers as well considering there were multiple other suitors.

[Hornsby]

Awesome. One of my favorite players to my favorite team.

I was shocked to see that the Suns traded him to the Lakers as well considering there were multiple other suitors.

My guess is that was where Nash wanted to play (given that Miami couldn't pay him squat), and the Suns were very classy to a player who'd been the face of their franchise for more than a decade. Very nice move for both teams...

[Riff Raff]

I have to think, from a fantasy perspective, Nash won't be controlling the ball as much. Fact is, Kobe does so and on the Suns no one else was worthy unless Nash was sitting (or lying down) on the sidelines.

I can't see his ridiculous shooting percentages slipping. Perhaps an increase in 3s, decrease in PTs and he is a black hole for steals, blocks and pretty much rebounds. Still a very solid player to own, but in the RJ league is he still 1st rd talent (as we over emphasize PG stats w/ A/TO) ?

[JudeBaldo]

I really f@cking hate the Fakers. I love Nash so this is a blow to us Faker haters.

[B-Fly]

Nash definitely makes the Lakers better, and I assume that Kobe and Nash had a very thoughtful conversation about sharing the backcourt together before Nash told the Suns that he wanted to be a Laker. I think that Kobe will start the season prepared to let Nash be the primary ballhandler and facilitator while they're on the court together. Meanwhile, Brown would be wise to at least try to keep Nash and Kobe healthy and rested by limiting their minutes a la Tim Duncan. That should give each of those guys a fair number of minutes each game to run the offense while the other rests. Obviously, they'll be playing together to start the first and third quarters and to close out games where the outcome remains in doubt through the 4th quarter. The question, of course, is whether Kobe will be able to resist ballhogging when the Lakers hit those occasional ruts that happen to any team during the course of a season. I do think they need to try to get Nash a better backup than Steve Blake.

[Young Guns]

As a long-time Lakers fan I can't wait for the 1st time that Kobe does one of his patented screaming for the ball moments at Nash. I'm psyched about the deal. I think Nash will bring Gasol back to the player he was rather than the disgruntled and ineffective one he became with all the high post stuff this year. Will Bynum be happy with his role in the offense or will we see more emotional outbursts from him? On the one hand I expect a lot more easy baskets for him but on the other he might see less dump it in the low post isolation calls made for him.

[Stephen]

I'm still holding out hope that Bynum is Orlando's problem. The kid has a ton of talent, but his immaturity is keeping him from reaching his full potential.

I know Dwight Howard clearly has some issues too, but I'd love his defense and reliability on this club with Nash, Kobe and Gasol.

It seems Orlando is stuck on including Turkoglu's contract in a Howard deal and I'd be happy to have him on the Lakers, but I'd prefer that it not be at the expense of swapping Artesta World Peace for him. I like the toughness and intimidation factor that Artest brings. Howard and Artest together would make this team a lot tougher and balance it out on defense.