Steve Nash believes he will return next season

So many questions permeate around Steve Nash’s recovery and the Lakers’ rebuilding. But Nash sounded pretty confident he will play out the last season of his $9.8 million contract with the Lakers. Namely because the Lakers have few options.

“The franchise will rebuild and there’s not a lot of options and there’s not a rush to do something with me,” said Nash, who could be waived through the stretch provision by Aug. 31. “The dust will clear and settle when my contract expires. The options in the meantime are pretty limited.

-Nash was honestly unapologetic that he wouldn’t shed his contract if he found unable to play next season: Frankly, I don’t think so.” Nash then explained that he’s simply making a business decision and argued he would have earned more money in his career if it was based on past performances than future projections.

-Nash said it was “carthartic in some ways” for Grantland to document his rehab

-Nash said in three to four weeks he hopes he can sprint. Last year, it took him five months

-Nash continuously conceded uncertainty on whether he will heal well enough to play: “They can’t rely on me. They don’t know what I can bring.”

-Nash sounded open toward playing 18-20 minutes off the bench and maybe even being a mentor to a top point guard should one be drafted

-Nash publicly supported D’Antoni, but said he didn’t raise the issue in his exit meeting with Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak. Simply thought it wasn’t his place to do so.

Follow L.A. Daily News Lakers beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter and on Facebook. E-mail him at mark.medina@langnews.com