Lakers' Attempt to Contend Now by Trading for Steve Nash Is Desperate

With the Lakers' acquisition of point guard Steve Nash, per ESPN.com's Marc Stein, the Lakers are in full-fledged win-now mode regardless of the implications that such a strategy will have on their future.

The sign-and-trade deal includes a package of four draft picks, which, according to The Arizona Republic's Paul Coro via Twitter, reportedly will include the Lakers' 2013 and 2015 first-round draft picks, along with the Lakers' 2013 and 2014 second-round draft choices.

While the Suns will have a bevy of draft picks that they can use for trades and rebuilding their roster, the Lakers acquired a piece to their team that they have lacked for a long time—a playmaking point guard.

Make no mistake, Nash will make an immediate impact for the Lakers. Despite his age (38), he is still one of the best distributors in the league and was second in the NBA in assists per game with 10.7 in 2011-12.

If Nash could run a Suns offense that had marginal talent at best, he should have no issues piling up the assists in LA surrounded by Kobe Bryant, Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol (for now).

In the now, trading for Nash puts the Lakers right with the Spurs and Thunder as the favorites to win the West. In that regard, the Lakers have pulled off a brilliant move.

However, in the long term, it would appear that the Lakers are conceding the future. With Bynum being the lone exception, the Lakers are officially a team with a one- to three-year window to win a title. After that, things could start to get a little bleak.

If the Spurs-Thunder and Celtics-Heat conference finals matchups have taught us anything, it's that the old guard has officially become the underdog when it comes to matching up with younger, more explosive teams.

By adding yet another aging veteran, the Lakers have basically went all-in on these next two years. The only question left to answer now is if it's too late.