Suns hire Steve Nash as senior adviser: Hall of Famer returns to Phoenix for first time since playing career

Basketball Hall of Famer Steve Nash, who spent most of his NBA playing career with the Phoenix Suns, will return to the franchise that drafted him. Suns owner Matt Ishbia announced Monday that Nash is joining the Suns as a senior adviser. It is Nash’s first front office role, and it marks his return to basketball in an official capacity after he spent the past three years away from the game.

Nash most recently served as the coach of the Brooklyn Nets from 2020-22 and left his post at the beginning of the 2022-23 season. He went 94-67 and made two playoff appearances in two full seasons.

“Steve Nash was an amazing player and exactly what the Phoenix Suns are all about,” Ishbia said. “His grit, toughness, and winning mentality have defined our organization in the past, and I’m so excited to share that Steve is formally joining the Suns as a senior adviser and will help us define our future for years to come!”

The Suns are set to bring Nash back at a key juncture with the franchise embarking on a new era. Last season was an on-court disaster as Phoenix went 36-46 and missed the playoffs despite building a star-studded and massively expensive roster. Ishbia cleaned house with changes at general manager and head coach at the end of the year, and the Suns made massive roster moves by trading Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets, buying out Bradley Beal and extending Devin Booker on a record contract.

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The addition of a franchise legend to the front office is Phoenix’s latest move in the attempt to rebound from last season’s failures and to reposition itself as a championship contender.

Nash knows plenty about what it takes to win in Phoenix. The 1996 first-round pick reached the playoffs in both of his first two years with the Suns, and upon his return in 2004, he strung together a legendary tenure with ample team success. Phoenix reached the Western Conference finals three times between 2004 and 2012, and Nash twice won the NBA MVP award with back-to-back selections in 2005 and 2006.

Nash was an eight-time All-Star during his career and racked up seven All-NBA selections. He paced the league in assists five times, doing so on each occasion during his second Suns stint.

The Suns retired Nash’s No. 13 jersey to commemorate his Hall of Fame career.