The story on how Nash to LA happened

[Real Deal]

This is actually an interesting read, especially July 2nd and 3rd.

 

Duffy, too, initially struggled to imagine the Suns ever agreeing to help Nash get to Hollywood, so he proceeded carefully. He let Kupchak broach the idea with Suns president of basketball operations Lon Babby and focused instead on urging the Lakers GM to loop in Kobe Bryant and arrange for Kobe and Nash to speak.

 

The same Bryant who had his own infamous interview to live down, having left the distinct impression in January that he would (A) always hate the Suns and (B) never be Nash's biggest fan.

 

But their talk couldn't have gone much better. Kupchak reached Bryant at his annual basketball camp in Santa Barbara. Kobe broke away from the campers to make his pitch. And not unlike the summer of 2010, when he lobbied Raja Bell hard to join him in L.A. only a few years removed from the unforgettable clothesline that Bell laid on Bryant during the 2006 playoffs, Kobe made it clear that the guys who have the gumption to tangle with him directly are the kind of guys he wants as teammates.

 

Nash says they both came away from the chat feeling that "we could really help each other," sold on Bryant's contention that Nash's perpetually sunny leadership style would lead to an effective and welcome good cop/bad cop dynamic in the Lakers' locker room to offset Kobe's whip-cracking.

 

"We thought that we could help each other get there," Nash continued, referring to the quest for his first championship and Bryant's oozing hunger for ring No. 6.

 

At Team USA's training camp in Las Vegas, Bryant spoke of Nash in profanely reverential tones when someone asked him why he wanted to see Nash wearing purple and gold. "He's a bad mother------," Kobe said.

 

Said Nash: "I think there's a competitive relationship [between us]. At the same time, we're both grown men, and we both can overcome a few playoff series.

 

"It's kind of one of those things that I think, from afar, you never want to play for the other team [in a rivalry]. But at the same time, there's really no true loyalty in sports. You have to do what's best for you. Once I realized the Suns were going to do what's best for them, as they should, I figured I have to do what's best for me and not cut off my nose to spite my face."

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/8143205/nba-how-steve-nash-los-angeles-lakers-happened

[Make It Naaaashty]

"He's a bad motherf*****" - Kobe

 

Lol legit reason to want Nash, Kobe.

[Built Ford Tough]

Honestly, the part I found the most interesting was the bit about Dragic.

 

By the way Stein described it, it was almost like Duffy delievered him to the Suns in order to get Sarver to sign off on a Nash trade.

 

It seemed like Duffy was all "Hey, I know you like Goran and he is a client of mind, so here, I'll deliver you to him at a reasonable price, but only if you agree to trade Steve to LA".