Expectations aren’t exactly very high for Los Angeles Lakers point guard Steve Nash heading into the 2014-15 season. He’s spent the past two seasons riddled with injuries, especially last year in which he played just 15 games, and will enter this upcoming campaign at 40 years old.
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But Lakers trainer Gary Vitti isn’t ready to count out Nash just yet, saying he is ‘100 percent healthy’ during an interview with Mike Trudell of NBA.com:
"Finally, Gary, what can you expect from Steve Nash this season? He played only 15 games in 2013-14, battling the nerve issues that resulted from his broken leg in the second game of the 2012-13 season.Vitti: We’re not sure. When nerves are involved, they either get better really quickly, or they take a long, long period of time. There’s usually nothing in between. We’re in that really long period now. He’ll be coming back to Los Angeles this week, and all my conversations with him are that he has absolutely no neural issue at this point. He’s playing full-tilt, unrestricted soccer. He’s doing all the corrective injury and performance exercises he’s supposed to be doing, and right now he’s 100 percent healthy."
With Jeremy Lin and Jordan Clarkson on the roster, the Lakers don’t need to rely heavily on Nash next season. But if the aging point guard could remain healthy and give them some production on a nightly basis, that would obviously be preferred. The Lakers could certainly use all the help they can get as they try to rebound from last year’s disastrous season.
Nash averaged 6.8 points and 5.7 assists per game in 2013-14 and is set to begin his 19th season in the league.