NBA News Wire
Lakers’ Nash injured again
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
Los Angeles Lakers point guard Steve Nash missed his third straight practice after injuring his back while carrying bags Wednesday.
The latest injury is another setback that casts doubt about his future in the NBA. The 40-year-old has battled injuries the past few years. Last season, he was limited him to 15 games.
Nash, the oldest active player in the league who is in his 19th season, isn’t expected to play Thursday night in an exhibition game against the Utah Jazz.
“It’s a concern because, from my standpoint, I’ve got to kind of figure out if he’s going to be able to play every day or not, if he’s going to be able to play every other game, or which games can he play,” Lakers coach Byron Scott said. “Obviously, in the next couple of weeks, we’ve got some time to come to a conclusion to this whole situation.”
That includes starting Jeremy Lin at point guard and bringing Nash, if he’s healthy, off the bench.
Nash is in the final year of a three-year, $28 million contract. He said during the summer that he expects this season to be his last.
“I have no doubt in my mind that if I went to Steve and said tomorrow, ‘You know what, I’m going to start Jeremy and the games that you’re available, we’re going to bring you off the bench,’ he’s such a professional that I don’t think it would be a problem whatsoever,” Scott said Tuesday.
