Lakers News and Rumors: LA Will Keep Steve Nash, Kendall Marshall Next Season
The Los Angeles Lakers are expected to make drastic roster changes this summer after a disastrous campaign this season, but Steve Nash and Kendall Marshall are still expected to wear the yellow and gold next season.
Nash, who has been a non-factor for the Lakers this season due to injuries, is expected to be retained by the team due to financial reasons, the LA Times reported on Sunday.
The Lakers could release Nash this summer and have his $9.7 million salary stretched out over the next three years, but according to inside sources, the team wants to pay the remainder of the veteran's contract in one swoop instead of three seasons.
If the Lakers go that route, L.A. will have less money to spend this summer, but the team would be in the running to sign big name free agents in the summer of 2015 and 2016.
"For financial reasons, the Lakers currently plan to keep him next season, The Times has learned, eating the remainder of his contract in one swoop instead of waiving him and spreading the money out over three years," the LA Times reported. "It would give them more money to spend in the summers of 2015 and 2016."
Sources also indicated that Marshall is also bound to stay in Los Angeles after the impressive stint he's had with the Lakers since he signed as a free agent in December.
Marshall has been struggling as of late as he shot just 33.7 percent from the field in 14 games in March, but the 22-year-old point guard has been a steady playmaker all season long, averaging 8.9 assists on top of 8.1 points per game this season.
Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni had nothing but praise for the 13th overall pick in the 2012 Draft, but he admitted that the former North Carolina standout should develop his game if he wants to stay longer in the league.
"He gives up a lot of foot speed, but you've got to overcome it by angles and you've got to do it by anticipating," D'Antoni said of Marshall. "What he does, he does really well. He just can't have a day where you're not thinking real hard, because you're not going to make it up with your physical speed."