Kobe on Nash: 'He did everything to get back'

Kobe Bryant has plenty of sympathy for teammate Steve Nash.

Bryant said Nash, who is sidelined for the upcoming season with a back injury that may end his career, did all he could to play for the Los Angeles Lakers.

"You can control what you can control," Bryant said told Arash Markazi of ESPN before a preseason game against the Sacramento Kings on Friday.

"(Nash) did everything to get back and play at a high level. From that standpoint he should be able to sleep at night. I know I would. 

"I can only think about that in my situation, I just tried to do everything possible to be ready, and if it wasn't in the cards, if I couldn't get back to being at that level, you just have to accept it and when you lay your head down you know that you did absolutely everything possible."

Bryant knows all about returning from injury. He missed all but six games last season with an injured left knee.

He said Nash, the NBA's oldest active player at 40, still might have had playing time left in him if it weren't for his back.

"He struggled with his back even when he was in his prime," said Bryant. "I really don't think it's an age thing, it's an injury thing. He's had to deal with it his entire career, and it just caught up with him now."