Can Deron Williams And Joe Johnson Take The Brooklyn Nets To An NBA Championship?

Can Deron Williams And Joe Johnson Take The Brooklyn Nets To An NBA Championship? by Chris Walder

Are The Toronto Raptors Better Off After Losing Out On Steve Nash?

Are The Toronto Raptors Better Off After Losing Out On Steve Nash? by Chris Walder

The Steve Nash sweepstakes are now officially over!

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, the Los Angeles Lakers will be sending a plethora of future draft picks to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for 2-time MVP Steve Nash in a sign-and-trade.

L.A will use the trade exception they received in last years Lamar Odom/Dallas Mavericks deal to sign Nash to a 3-year, $27 million dollar contract.

The Suns will get the Lakers 2013 and 2015 first-round picks, as well as there 2013 and 2014 second-round picks. Phoenix will also get $3 million dollars as well.

Marc Spears of Yahoo Sports reported via Twitter the reasoning behind Steve Nash choosing the Los Angeles Lakers.

Nash gets 3-year guaranteed $27 million deal, his agent Bill Duffy tells Y! “He’s ecstatic. He gets to be close to his children,” Duffy said — Marc J. Spears (@SpearsNBAYahoo) July 5, 2012

During the 2011-12 regular season, the 38 year-old Steve Nash averaged a double-double of 12.5 points and 10.7 assists in 62 games for the Phoenix Suns.

Grade for Lakers: A +

The Los Angeles Lakers finally have a point guard that they can be proud of.

The Ramon Sessions experiment clearly didn’t pan out for the team, as he has now opted out of his contract and will explore options elsewhere. Even if he were to have stayed, he doesn’t come close to the level of skill, leadership ability and overall play that Steve Nash (even at his age) gives.

It’s amazing how the Lakers managed to land a 2-time former Most Valuable Player of the league who has shown no signs of slowing down…..without giving up one single player. Not only do they land an elite-level point guard in Nash, but they didn’t have to part with Gasol, Bynum, Kobe Bryant or Metta World Peace to do it.

Unbelievable.

Steve Nash will be the best thing to ever happen to a guy like Kobe Bryant. Now the Lakers won’t have to rely on the “Black Mamba” for constant offense as Nash will be able to get his teammates better and more open looks at the basket.

This trade catapults the Lakers back into the championship discussion over in the Western Conference along with the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.

Brilliant move for Los Angeles.

Grade for Phoenix: C

I’m sure the Suns would have liked to have gotten more bang for their buck as far as trading away their franchise player for the last 8 years goes, but for a team that is entering a rebuilding period, it’s not that terrible a haul.

You can never have too many draft picks in this day and age, especially when you’re trying to reboot your basketball team. They may not be high picks considering the potential success of the Lakers, but their still picks nonetheless.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP9EpJTSPiU

Christopher Walder is a sports blogger and lead editor for Sir Charles in Charge. You may follow him on Twitter @WalderSports