At one point, Steve Nash was Dwight Howard's biggest advocate. The point guard sent out tweets asking for the center to re-sign with the Los Angeles Lakers. He sat in on the sales pitch meeting attempting to sell Howard on the future of the Lakers. However, now that the center is officially signed to the Houston Rockets, Nash is back tracking on his praise.
With Howard out of the picture, Nash is setting his sights on Pau Gasol and the role he will play with the team. Expected to move from being a power forward to a center, Nash believes Gasol offers more to the offense than Howard did.
"I think Gasol gives a little more fluidity. The ball can move more," Nash said to the Los Angeles Times. "We can use him as a facilitator. He's such a versatile player that it's going to be a lot of fun to have him making plays and scoring inside."
Gasol spent much of last season being a non-factor while injured half of the season and playing second to the featured Howard. Now, with him gone, head coach Mike D'Antoni plans on featuring Gasol more in the offense, like he was towards the end of the 2012-13 season when the Lakers were playing their best basketball. Los Angeles signed center Chris Kaman to play alongside Gasol and offer him relief off the bench.
Gasol played his best basketball in this role. He was the team's center back in 2009 when they won the NBA Finals. Nash also took time to say he has no hard feelings towards Howard. While he had hoped the All-Star remained in Los Angeles, he wishes Howard nothing but the best with the Houston Rockets.
Once a trade risk, Gasol will now remain with the Lakers. The team decided to use the amnesty clause on Metta World Peace, cementing Gasol's future in Los Angeles for another season. D'Antoni and Gasol clashed at times during last season. Gasol was even benched at one point in the game, before moving to a sixth man role. He was never able to get into a rhythm with the offense, but that should all change now.
Gasol's current contract expires at the end of the season and while his relationship with the Lakers has not always been great, he does hope to return again. The NBA is business so to say Gasol will 100 percent be on the Lakers' roster come next season is crazy. However, at this point the Lakers cannot afford to give up his production.
