There is a certain segment of the Lakers fan base that will always hold a grudge against Steve Nash.
L.A. traded away four draft picks in order to get him, and health concerns prevented Nash from ever coming close to living up to the three-year, $28 million deal that he signed.
But on Nash’s end, he knows he did everything possible to try to come back from the multiple injuries he sustained.
Speaking at his retirement press conference on Tuesday, Nash had nothing but positive things to say about his time in Los Angeles, and is open to helping the Lakers franchise in any way he can moving forward -- which includes participating in free agent pitches.
From Mark Medina and Mark Whicker of the LA Daily News:Nash still left relishing his Lakers experience because of the front office and training staff providing endless support. So much that Nash said he would help with any free-agent pitches this offseason.
“Who knows what the future holds, but I’d love to see the franchise come back in full form,” Nash said at a press conference on Tuesday at the Lakers’ practice facility in El Segundo. “I’m definitely open to helping out.”
It’s unlikely that words from Nash would by themselves be enough to sway the opinions of any significant free agent players; things like market size, current roster construction and the ability to win immediately are all more important factors than a former player’s endorsement.
But should he be a part of an overall recruiting pitch that convinces a star-level talent to sign in Los Angeles, those fans that are unhappy with how things played out may begin to show signs of forgiveness.