Suns GM describes the impact of Steve Nash joining as a senior adviser
Phoenix Suns general manager Brian Gregory spoke about what it means to have franchise legend Steve Nash with the team as a senior adviser.
Former Phoenix Suns star Steve Nash has returned to the team as a senior adviser.Nash, a two-time NBA MVP with the Suns, will advise the front office, coaching staff and players.Nash will also work as an NBA analyst for Amazon Prime starting in the 2025-26 season.
Steve Nash said a two-letter word while watching a Suns’ open-gym run this summer as he spoke with general manager Brian Gregory.
It still takes Gregory’s breath away.
“He lives right around the corner from me, he’s been in the gym quite a bit,” Gregory said about Nash at the team’s media day Sept. 24 at PHX Arena. “When Steve and I talked with (Suns team owner Mat Ishbia) and we got this thing done, about two days later, we were on the phone talking and he was at one of our open runs and one of our workouts just talking about basketball and he said, ‘we’ and I was like, ‘damn.’”
One of the greatest Suns ever is back as a senior adviser.
“Pretty special because it’s back to ‘we,’” Gregory said. “Back to where it belongs and he’s going to make a huge impact for us not only for me and the rest of our front office, but with (Suns head coach Jordan Ott) and his staff. We want to bring in highly intelligent, high-character guys, no ego where the Phoenix Suns mean something and that’s Steve Nash.”
The two-time NBA MVP and Naismith Hall of Famer was inside the Suns team practice facility the first two days of training camp.
“Steve Nash being in the area and being a Phoenix Sun was a no brainer,” Ott said after Day 1 of camp.
Ott was an assistant under Nash during his two full seasons as the Brooklyn Nets’ head coach (2020-22). Nash was let go after a 2-5 start in 2022-23.
“It was just what opportunity he wanted and how we could help him feel the best to help this group,” Ott added.
Suns star Devin Booker said “it only makes sense to have a two-time in the building” as in the two-time MVP Nash.
“It only makes sense to have a two-time in the building.”
Phoenix Suns all-time leading scorer Devin Booker on two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash working as a senior adviser for the team. #Suns pic.twitter.com/9KVMIFjxBR
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) September 26, 2025
“Him being around for all of us,” Booker said. “Just knowing that he is in the gym is going to raise the level of everything. I’m excited to further develop that relationship and pick his brain. Obviously he’s a mastermind of his sport and has been for a long time.”
Booker has questions loading for Nash.
“All of it,” Booker said. “Him being a floor general like he is. I’m not going to say ‘was,’ ’cause a guy of that caliber has the mind frame to, even when he’s not playing, he can see what the game is going to and he can think the game at a level that nobody else can.”
So does Suns guard Collin Gillespie as his mother’s urging.
Suns guard Collin Gillespie on what he worked on this summer as he and new coach Jordan Ott discussed his play going into the 2025-26 season: “I worked on everything, but the way he talked about smaller guards like myself, we have to be able to shoot off the dribble and be… pic.twitter.com/xwVXFrrYNs
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) September 26, 2025
“It’s really cool,” Suns guard Collin Gillespie said. “When we found out the news, I was a fan of his growing up, obviously, being a smaller guy, a smaller point guard. First person to text me was my mom. She was just like, get as much knowledge as you can while he’s around and don’t hesitate to ask questions. I’ll be doing a lot of that.”
Nash stood on the court after Day 1 talking with another former Suns player, Cedric Ceballos, near where Devin Booker sank free throws at a basket on the far end.
After Day 2, Nash and Ott were having a chat, further showing how engaged and involved Nash is in this role.
“I love it,” said Suns forward Dillon Brooks about his fellow Canadian. “He’s got so much information to give at all levels and all positions. He’s going to be a great tool for us to use.”
Good to have him in the building.
“His intelligence level is off the charts and incomparable feel for the game and knowledge of the game,” Gregory said. “… Everything we talk about that we want our players to embody and our identity, that’s Steve Nash. You don’t have to look any further than that.”
Nash won back-to-back NBA MVPs (2005, 2006) with the Suns in orchestrating Mike D’Antoni’s ‘Seven Seconds or Less’ offense. He played 10 of his 18 NBA seasons in Phoenix and is a ‘Ring of Honor’ inductee.
Amazon Prime hired Nash as an NBA analyst for the 2025-26 season, but he will be able to work for the Suns.
“The Phoenix Suns mean something to him,” Gregory said. “So him working for us means a little more and I like that.”
The Suns initially shifted James Jones from general manager to senior adviser in May when elevating Gregory from director of player programming to general manager.
In a news release, the Suns spelled out Jones’ duties as senior adviser.
Bringing Steve Nash back helps create right culture, Suns owner says
Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia spoke about the impact of bringing franchise legend Steve Nash on as a senior adviser for the upcoming season.
Diannie Chavez and Diana Payan / The Republic
“Jones will remain involved with front office decisions, including advising and working closely with Gregory on team and personnel decisions,” the news release stated.
Two months later, the NBA named Jones its executive vice president, head of basketball operations.
The Suns have put Nash in that senior adviser role.
“The insights that he’s going to be able to give our coaching staff, our players and myself are going to be tremendous and I think will be very, very impactful,” Gregory said. “There’s an expertise, there’s an ability to analyze. There’s an ability to independently evaluate different things from players to knowledge of the league, players around the league. For me, it’s exciting.”
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
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