National Basketball Association

Coach On The Court

Published Sep. 18, 2020 9:58 p.m. ET

One might think that retired NBA MVP Steve Nash would have his hands full of late due to the fact he was just hired as the new head coach of the Brooklyn Nets.

And while he might have his work cut out for him in leading a superstar duo like Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant to the NBA's mountaintop in his first season as a head coach, Nash has still found time to discuss hoops outside of the X's and O's.

He recently stopped by The Old Man and the Three podcast with J.J. Reddick to discuss a handful of topics, including his plans on coaching the Nets next season.

"I wasn't hired to come in and be a tactical wizard. I think they understand that my acumen for the game is strong and I can catch up on the technical aspects. I think they hired me because I have the experience, the personality, to be able to work with these guys, to be able to help them grow, and reach their potential and bring it all together."

One of those players is the aforementioned Durant, who Nash says he plans on playing every position on the court.

“Kevin, with his length, is a matchup problem for everyone,” Nash said. "Kevin can play all five positions, and I plan to use him in all five positions."

Durant missed all of the 2019-2020 season recovering from a torn Achilles tendon but when healthy, his 6'10" frame can be played all over the floor due to his unique ball handling and shooting ability:

As well as his ability to guard the perimeter and protect the rim:

There might be a method to Nash's madness of playing Durant at point guard.

Last season with the Golden State Warriors, Durant averaged a career-high 5.9 assists per game. And as detailed by Marcus Thompson for The Athletic, Durant in 2019 looked like someone who could run an offense.

"This season? Durant with the ball in his hands flows a lot better," said Thompson. "He's not only looking to pass, but he's doing the little things that make for a fluid offense. Surveying the landscape. Directing traffic with his eyes. Leading players with passes. Moving with the dribble to manipulate passing lanes."

Durant probably isn't going to take over as the Nets' primary point guard, of course. They have Irving for that. But if KD is able to take over some of the playmaking burden and operate as the lead ballhandler when Irving sits, Brooklyn could be far more dangerous than anyone realizes.