What will Steve Nash bring from the Phoenix Suns to coaching?
By Jimmie Sykes
![Steven Nash, Phoenix Suns (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Steven Nash, Phoenix Suns (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/24c67896057fb67c1a552577aa237808beda289ecaa8c3e595e3d8daf519fbdb.jpg)
Two-time MVP and Phoenix Suns legend Steve Nash recently accepted as role as the Brooklyn Nets new head coach. How will he translate from player to coach?
Phoenix Suns two-time MVP Steve Nash recently accepted the role as the Brooklyn Nets Head Coach. With Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving both returning, the opportunities are endless. The last we saw of Durant, he scored 11 points in 12 minutes on one leg during game 5 of the NBA finals. His close work with Nash is taking a new height. With this being Nash’s first shot at head coach, one can’t help but wonder what he’ll bring to the table.
There isn’t any noted coaching scheme out there for Nash for starts. One thing Steve Nash could add is an uptempo efficiency to this Nets team. He can help Kyrie Irving smooth into a precise playmaker. Having a teammate like Durant to space the floor could work in his favor big time. Kyrie is already a pure scorer from the point guard position with some of the best handles of all time. Irving’s last season in Boston showed him averaging 7 assists. Nash can use his pass-first mentality to round Kyrie Irving’s playmaking ability out.
Phoenix Suns legend, Steve Nash, brings a high basketball IQ to the Nets.
Perhaps Nash will run a system where playmaking is emphasized. In his time in the NBA, he ran with mobile big men such as Dirk Nowitzki, Amar’e Stoudemire, Shaquille O’Neal, and others. His big men on the roster, Deandre Jordan and Jarrett Allen, fit a different dynamic. Both bigs run the floor and play at high energy on both ends. Jordan and Allen might not be big on the offense end, but count them in on uptempo action.
Both Irving and Durant’s scoring ability could boast more efficiency throughout volume shooting. They both hold the scoring clip to average 26+ points per game. Kyrie averaged 27.6 points in 20 games during the 2019-20 season. This average was good enough for Kyrie to be on pace for a career-high in points. Durant has been noted working closely with Nash during their time in Golden State.
There’s no telling what kind of coaching development the two-time MVP soaked up in Golden State. As point guard, he was like the coach on the floor. Placing two high grade attributes like that together gives him a nice head start. Nash was a player during Steve Kerr’s time as President of the Phoenix Suns. Nash worked with the Warriors as a part-time consultant, winning a ring in 2017 as part of their organization.
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Nash gets a chance to start his new chapter within a new chapter of Durant and Irving’s career. His “Seven Seconds or Less” era with the Suns sparked an electrifying offense in Nash’s prime day. Now, his IQ is being passed from on the court to off the court. With other assets such as Caris LeVert, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Deandre Jordan, the Nets will be faced as a team to watch.
The intact Brooklyn roster should make his arrival more smooth. The duo of Durant and Kyrie could turn the East upside down. Signing Nash appeared as one of those moves that might turn out to be a best-kept secret. For Nash, he continues the effort of former point guards translating into coaching. It’s almost as if the floor general holds a different eye for the game.
Brooklyn’s choice to roll with the Hall of Fame guard as head coach will be speculated. Nash and company still have the draft and free agency to prepare for now. Easing closer into next season, we’ll be able to see what this team is working with. For now, you can’t help but wonder what will Nash bring to the table. He always played upbeat and never left his IQ at home. Nash pulled his teammates up with his uptempo attitude. His morality and his presence have a fit for this organization with Durant and Irving heightened as the main attractions.
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