Los Angeles Lakers News: Steve Nash To Miss Entire Season, Could Retire

The Los Angeles Lakers got some bad news on Thursday when they learned that Steve Nash would miss the entire season, quite possibly the end of the line for the 40-year-old guard.

The point guard announced late on Thursday that he would be sitting out the 2014-15 campaign due to nagging injuries.

“Being on the court this season has been my top priority and it is disappointing to not be able to do that right now,” Nash said in a statement released by the team. “I work very hard to stay healthy and unfortunately my recent setback makes performing at full capacity difficult. I will continue to support my team during this period of rest, and will focus on my long-term health.”

The Los Angeles Lakers said they were disappointing in the news, but said they supported Nash.

“As disappointed as we are for ourselves and our fans, we’re even more disappointed for Steve,” Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said in a statement. “We know how hard he’s worked the last two years to try to get his body right for the rigors of the NBA, and how badly he wants to play, but unfortunately he simply hasn’t been able to get there up to this point in time. Steve has been a consummate professional, and we greatly appreciate his efforts.”

There were some ominous signs for Nash during the preseason. Though the Lakers hoped he would be back to full health this year, Nash was still hampered by his back, knee, and hamstrings.

Nash sat out the first quarter of the Lakers 116-75 preseason loss to the Golden State Warriors and while many assumed it was just to give Nash some rest, Lakers coach Byron Scott later revealed that Nash wasn’t feeling quite right.

Nash later revealed that it was a “little sciatica problem,” but LakersNation pointed out at the time that it was a serious issue for the Los Angeles Lakers:

“For those unfamiliar, sciatica describes the symptoms of leg pain and possibly tingling, numbness or weakness that originates in the lower back and travels through the buttock and down the large sciatic nerve in the back of the leg according to spine-health.com.”

Steve Nash played just 65 of a possible 164 regular season games for the Los Angeles Lakers in the past two seasons, and at age 40 many believe he will now retire. Nash had initially planned to retire before this season but instead decided to make his 19th season his last.