The long-awaited Steve-on-Steve reunion between Kerr and Nash is finally upon us.
Recently-retired two-time MVP Steve Nash is finalizing an agreement to become a part-time player development consultant for the defending champion Golden State Warriors, ESPN NBA insider Marc Stein reported on Tuesday.
According to Stein, Nash was aggressively pursued for the role by Warriors head coach Steve Kerr along with team president Rick Welts. Kerr and Nash has previously worked together during Nash’s playing days in Phoenix when Kerr served as the Suns general manager from 2007 to 2010.
It is said that the deal will essentially make Nash, who retired last March and reportedly wasn’t planning to go into coaching at the time, an occasional tutor for the Golden State guards, spending a few days a week working with them on individual skills.
What’s interesting is that Nash, who did similar work with the Lakers and guard Jordan Clarkson in an unofficial capacity last season, opted to take a formal role with the Warriors instead of continuing in Lakerland or going back to his old stomping grounds in Phoenix. The Lakers young point guard core of Clarkson and No. 2 overall pick D’Angelo Russell could really use Nash’s guidance. To a lesser extent, so could the Kentucky guard triad of Eric Bledsoe, Brandon Knight, and Devin Booker with the Suns.
Having just won a championship last June, the Warriors are much further along the player development curve to put it lightly. As a contender right now, they are much less needy of Nash’s services than other younger teams with an emphasis on building for the future.
Still, we should be looking forward to the eight-time All-Star coaching the Splash Brothers next season in matters of playmaking, shot selection, pick-and-roll wizardry, and cinematography.
