The Los Angeles Lakers tried to build another title contention roster around Kobe Bryant in the early 2010s. This includes getting top point guard Steve Nash and top center Dwight Howard.
Before the 2012-13 NBA season, the Los Angeles Lakers made a massive move in the offseason. They signed and traded Steve Nash and won Dwight Howard for the unlucky trade. They brought two All-Star players to the team, so it was a great move.
They were meant to help Kobe Bryant compete for another championship. Unfortunately, the plan didn’t work due to injuries. They didn’t have the best chemistry, so they couldn’t reach their potential as a trio.
Nash and Bryant wanted a superstar teammate as they tried to recruit Dark Nowicki. The two security guards became teammates for the Lakers. This was great on paper. But the dynamic really didn’t work.
After the disappointing 2012-13 season, the Lakers still had Nash and Bryant. However, many people felt that Nash would perform better if Bryant hadn’t had a majority of his possessions. Bryant was usually set in his way, so it was difficult to impress him.
It was a style conflict between two outstanding outs from the 1996 NBA Draft. Bryant needed the ball to generate his attack, but Nash needed the ball to generate his teammate’s attack.
They may have been perfect for each other, but they never established effective chemistry. Both players were great, but their style didn’t mesh well. Considering that they were already veterans, they were firmly set up how they wanted to play basketball.
“It’s not nervous, but accepting. I knew it wasn’t the same. I felt like I was going to try something new.
“I think it’s good to find a middle ground where he does his thing, but the ball can still move for the majority of the game.”
“Hopefully we can find it this season. But I knew it never would have been the same. When you play with Kobe Bryant, the ball will be with him most of the time, which I understand.”
Despite all the promising moves they made, the 2012-13 Lakers did not take off as a competition in the championship. They had a firm backlash against many Western Conference rivals, including the San Antonio Spurs who played in the NBA Finals.
The injury was a big reason behind their struggle, but Bryant was still an excellent individual. Unfortunately, he pushed himself too hard, leading to Achilles’ tears in April 2013. He recovered very quickly.
The team may have had a more successful season, but they never reached their potential. Nash was an older security guard by then, but they couldn’t get over the problem. Nash and Bryant would have been great backcourts, but the dynamics were off.