Kerr on Nash: ‘We wouldn’t have done any better than Steve’

Kevin Durant occasionally clashed with Steve Kerr when he coached the Golden State Warriors, just like he occasionally clashed with Steve Nash on the Brooklyn Nets. But there’s a big difference between having Steph Curry as the other star rather than Kyrie Irving, and that difference is part of why Nash got fired by the Nets after 2+ years.

OK, they just “agreed to part ways,” totally different than a firing.

After his Hall of Fame playing career, Nash became a player development consultant for the Warriors, working for his old bosses from Phoenix, Steve Kerr and Rick Welts. He was hired as the coach of the Nets in fall of 2020, replacing current Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson, currently the NBA coach with the tightest clothing.

Kerr told reporters that he still thinks Nash is a “brilliant” coach.

“I think he has all the qualities to be a brilliant coach. Brilliant,” said Kerr, before stressing the importance of “situation” for an NBA head coach.

“It was a good reminder to me...that we are all at the whim of players, front offices, ownership. You really need a solid situation to thrive in this league,” Kerr continued, singling out Erik Spoelstra as another coach who had a stable organiation, like him. “We’re really lucky. Throw either one of us in that situation and we wouldn’t have done any better than Steve. And that’s the truth.”

Brooklyn’s situation was the opposite of stable, with Kyrie Irving managing injuries, vaccine denial, anti-semitic conspiracy theories, and his strong opposition to heliocentrism. Irving also undermined Nash early in his coaching tenure, saying “I don’t really see” the Nets having a head coach, a month into his tenure. James Harden got hurt and demanded a trade, and Durant asked for Nash to be fired this summer.

Nash should probably go on an extended vacation, ideally one where he also avoids reading anything his old team posts on social media. But when he works again, it’s not crazy to think he could come back and work for his friend Steve again with some capacity with the Warriors. After all, Jordan Poole can use the advice this season.