The Los Angeles Lakers plan to keep Steve Nash next season and prefer to eat his contract ($9.7 million) in one swoop rather than waiving him and stretching the money over three years.

By finishing Nash's contract, the Lakers expect to have more money to spend in 2015 and 2016, when they figure to be more active on the free agent market.

Nash has missed all but 12 games this season due to nerve injuries.

The Lakers also plan to keep Kendall Marshall, who has a non-guaranteed deal for next season.