Lakers News & Rumors Recap: Gasol To Remain Starter; Nash Nearing Return?

With a 9-12 record and 11th place standing in the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Lakers aren’t as intimidating as they once were after the acquisitions of Steve Nash and Dwight Howard.

The combination of Howard and Nash joining Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol was thought to result in an instant title contender right out of the gate for Los Angeles, but much has changed since the off-season filled with blockbuster moves for the Lakers.

Fortunately, only 21 games have been played up to this point and 19 of them have been without Nash leading the way at the point guard position. The team has been banged up all season long while trying to learn not one, but two different offensive systems over the course of these first 21 games.

Mike Brown’s decision to implement the Princeton offense fell flat and it appears that Mike D’Antoni might be following in his footsteps in terms of getting his offense to flow consistently. A big drawback for D’Antoni has been the absence of Nash, but that might be a problem of the past with the two-time NBA MVP apparently nearing his return to the floor.

At this point in time, there’s a lot riding on the return of Nash as it may ultimately result in the trading of Gasol. If Nash isn’t able to make an considerable impact and help Gasol get more acclimated to the new offense, the Lakers may very well trade away the two-time NBA champion for a players more suitable to fit D’Antoni’s needs on the floor.

Along with Gasol’s future up in the air in terms of trade talk, the Spaniard has also been rumored to be coming off the bench once he returns from suffering from tendinitis in both knees. Apparently, that isn’t the case with D’Antoni claiming he’s got no intention of making such a move.

It’ll be interesting to see whether or not this team filled with superstar-caliber talent can turn things around once Gasol and Nash return to the floor. If not, heads will roll starting with Gasol heading elsewhere.

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