Steve Nash (nerve-root irritation) will miss at least another four weeks. The Lakers made the announcement at the same time that Kobe Bryant's knee fracture was revealed, providing a double-whammy for the Lakers' fading playoff hopes. Nash simply hasn't been able to overcome back and hamstring pain stemming from his nerve issues, and it's safe to question whether he'll suit up at all if L.A. has no chance of making the postseason. Jordan Farmar (hamstring) will have a big role whenever he returns to the court, but in the meantime it seems Xavier Henry will fill in as a makeshift PG.

Steve Nash is returning to Vancouver to rehab the nerve-root irritation which has caused his chronic back and hamstring pain. He will not travel with L.A. on their upcoming four-game road trip and remains out indefinitely. A speedy return would be ideal now that Steve Blake (elbow) has been ruled out for at least six weeks, but it would be unwise to gamble on Nash's return date in fantasy leagues.

Steve Nash (nerves) isn't sure when he might return to the Lakers' lineup. "I had three good days of practice and I could play right now, but we don't really have any confidence that it's sustainable," said Nash. "Instead of playing, missing a few weeks, playing, missing a few weeks." It's "safe to say" that he won't return vs. the Thunder on Friday, according to Nash, and owners should be able to keep Steve Blake plugged into their lineups a while longer.

Steve Nash (back, hamstring) practiced on Saturday but he remains doubtful to play Sunday vs. the Raptors. The Lakers could certainly use Nash in the lineup now that Jordan Farmar (hamstring) is on the shelf. Steve Blake will remain the team's default starting PG and may keep the job even when Nash returns, which could be as early as next Thursday's game at Portland.

Steve Nash (back, hamstring) is doubtful to play against the Raptors on Sunday. He won't play against the Kings on Friday and it would be a surprise to see him back on the court for Sunday. Nash has been practicing a little, but there have not been any reports of him being a full participant yet. While he has been one of the better point guards in the NBA over the past decade, his age caught up with him this year and he's not worth owning in almost any league. Steve Blake will get all the minutes he can handle with Jordan Farmar (hamstring) out for a month.

Steve Nash (back, hamstring) practiced for 10 minutes on Tuesday but said that it's "very unlikely" he'll return to action vs. the Kings on Friday. He'll try to practice 15 minutes on Wednesday and will gauge his activity based upon how his body responds. This is a positive step for Nash and the Lakers, but it won't have fantasy owners clamoring to claim him off the waiver wire. Mike D'Antoni has suggested that Nash could come off the bench once he's healthy, and Steve Blake's starting PG job is safe for now.

Steve Nash (back, hamstring) intends to practice on Tuesday, according to Mike D'Antoni. The Lakers don't play until Friday, giving Nash an ideal window to test how his back and hamstring respond to on-court activity. He reportedly feels better after rehabbing in Vancouver, but he may play a reserve role if and when he returns to action. Fantasy owners should avoid him until we've seen him on the court.

The Lakers hope that Steve Nash (back) will practice sometime this week. It's not certain that Nash will join his teammates, let alone go through a full practice. This is an ideal time for him to test himself, however, since L.A. has four straight days off from Monday through Thursday. Considering Nash's laundry list of nerve-related ailments, we're not getting our hopes up.

Addressing rumors that he was considering retiring before the end of the season, Steve Nash (back) said, "No, not at all. I don't know where that came from." "For me, I realize I have about 18 months left of basketball and I want the most out of this that I can possibly get and I don't know if that's going to be one game or the vast majority of what's left," Nash continued. He reiterated that he is not rushing the recovery, "I want to make sure that I'm not racing to get back but really solve this problem as well as I can so I can sustain it whenever I do come back." Nash could return to practice next week, at the earliest. But that does not mean he will be on the court in a game any time soon. Fantasy owners that have stashed him on their bench should explore other options.

Steve Nash will travel to Vancouver next week to meet with his personal trainer and rehab his back and hamstrings. "Conditioning and trying to get over the nerve pain," Mike D'Antoni said, explaining Nash's rehab to date. "He's got to get his body aligned. It will probably be another week or 10 days and then he'll try [to return]. If it works, it works. If not, he'll go back [to training] to try it again." Even if Nash resumes practicing in one week, which seems doubtful, it's unclear when he'll play in a game or what restrictions he would have.