Los Angeles Lakers: Will Kobe Bryant Clash with Steve Nash Running the Point?

The Los Angeles Lakers have surpassed the Miami Heat and their big three at the current moment by forming the one and only "big four" in the NBA.

Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic is reporting that the Lakers and Suns have agreed on a sign-and-trade that will send Steve Nash to the Lakers.

"

In the Nash sign-and-trade, the #Suns will get 2013 & 2015 first-round picks and 2013 & 2014 second-round picks.

— Paul Coro (@paulcoro) July 5, 2012"

Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum could very well be the most complete, and the most dominant, four starters in the NBA, if not in NBA history.

Sure, they have yet to play a game together, or even step on a practice court together, but there's no doubt that these players' skills all line up in an impressive fashion.

Bynum and Gasol will benefit from Nash's ability to drive into the paint like he's the only one on the court. Nash should dish the ball to the twin towers in the paint for easy, high-percentage shots. That kind of play from the point is something both Gasol and Bynum haven't had since joining the Lakers, and it's something that will make them more efficient and effective players.

That brings us to the dynamic that will exist between Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash.

Ever since Shaquille O'Neal left the Lakers at the end of the 2003-04 season, Kobe has been the main focus of the Lakers offense, and for the most part, that's worked.

Kobe hasn't been able to work with a true point guard whose main focus is to facilitate and create offense for his teammates really at any point in his career. Kobe also hasn't played with an MVP-caliber player like Steve Nash in the backcourt at any point in his career with the Lakers.

While Kobe is more than capable of adjusting his game and allowing Nash to run the offense, it will certainly be a challenge for Kobe, just like it was a challenge for him to work with a player like Shaquille O'Neal.

The good news for the Lakers is that Kobe has matured since those days when he couldn't co-exist with O'Neal, and he'll be able to make the adjustment to playing with Nash.

That doesn't mean it will be easy though. I guarantee there will be times when Kobe is blasting Nash in postgame press conferences, and there will be times where Kobe will be visibly frustrated with Nash's control of the game on the court.

That's just the kind of expressive, emotional and confident player Kobe is though, and Nash, as a 16-year NBA veteran, certainly understands that and knows how to handle that in a professional way that will build chemistry between the star players.

It's not necessarily a question of if Kobe will clash with Nash. It's more so a question of when it will happen the first time and how Nash will subsequently handle it.

No matter what their first clash is about, if it's about Kobe not getting enough touches or Nash turning the ball over too much, the important part will be how Nash handles it, and unlike other players who have played with Kobe, Nash will handle it like the humble, confident leader he is.

The best part of Nash and Kobe joining forces is that now the Lakers have two leaders.

They have a leader in Kobe, who's going to fearlessly lead his team with the intensity that he brings to the court night in and night out. Now they also have a leader in Nash, who's going to be able to lead the Lakers with his work ethic and the way he carries himself on the court and in the locker room.

Both Nash and Kobe will be able to lead the team, and they'll do so by leading in the way that they are both comfortable with. That is truly what will be at the heart of the Lakers' success over the next few seasons.

Anytime Kobe is on an NBA roster, he is going to clash with other players on his team. It's just how Kobe is.

Finally, though, the Lakers have a leader who can handle and embrace Kobe's personality, instead of fighting against it. That is what is going to make the Lakers such a successful team during the 2012-13 season and beyond.