Steve Nash may not be interested in a coaching gig but perhaps a part-time consultant position could be more to his liking.
Apparently, the former two-time NBA MVP is reportedly close to joining the Golden State Warriors where he will serve as a part-time development consultant. Nash officially announced his retirement on March 21, 2015 and has since been guiding players on the Lakers roster, particularly Jordan Clarkson.
If the deal materializes, it will become a homecoming of sorts for Nash. Though he grew up in Canada, Nash spent four years at Sta. Clara before joining the NBA Draft. Nash was selected 15th overall in 1996 by the Phoenix Suns.
One player who is looking forward to getting tips to improve his game from Nash is 2014-15 NBA MVP Steph Curry.
"He's a guy that I looked up to heavily when I was in college and studied a lot going into my NBA career," says Curry back in October. "There are a lot of similarities in how we play the game. But he changed a lot about the way the point guard position is played. And, obviously, with two MVPs, he got it done after not really being known coming out of college."
For Nash, it will also be a reunion of sorts with head coach Steve Kerr. Both were together in Phoenix when Kerr served as the general manager for the Suns (2007-10).
Like Steph Curry, Kerr sees a lot of positives if Nash formally comes on board.
“Steve saw the game first as a passer and a playmaker, but the similarity is that each has both the playmaking skills and the shooting skills. They can use one to enhance the other, and vice versa,” says Kerr in an interview.
It wasn’t exactly a glorious exit for Nash as far as his final playing years with the Los Angeles Lakers is concerned. With the obvious intent of possibly winning an NBA title in mind, Nash joined the Lakers together with Dwight Howard back in 2012 in what seemed to be another imminent title in the midst.
However, the injury bug played a vital role that year. Nash fell to a non-displaced fracture on his left leg after colliding with Portland’s Damian Lillard. Though he managed to return in December, match-up problems became an issue for the Lakers, forcing Nash to play more of a spot-up shooter.
It was, however, Nash’s time in sick bay that ate up most of his tenure with the Lakers, forcing the former MVP to call it quits earlier this year.