Bucks: Ranking 6 replacements for Budenholzer after playoff meltdown (Updated)

Bucks coach replacement No. 4: Steve Nash

Things did not exactly end well for Steve Nash in his first head-coaching gig. The two-time MVP as a player was not able to wrangle the superstar talent of the Brooklyn Nets, and he was a casualty of the dysfunction a few months before it broke the entire team up.

Even so, there is a lot to like about Nash’s resume. He was an incredible point guard during his playing days, a gifted passer and shooter who was at the center of the revolutionary “Seven Seconds or Less” Phoenix Suns’ offenses. After retiring he spent his time with various teams as a consultant, learning how Hall of Fame coaches like Steve Kerr ran their teams.

Add in cross-sport pollination from his love of soccer, his connections with Canada Basketball, and his laid-back but engaged persona, and he seems like the kind of guy who would be an excellent head coach. The situation in Brooklyn was largely out of his control, and while he wasn’t able to manage it by the end, his coaching career shouldn’t be cut short because of it.

Is Milwaukee willing to take a chance on a coach like that? It’s hard to say, but the Bucks know how close the 2020-21 Nets were from advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals and likely the NBA Finals from there. Replay that Second Round series 10 times, and the Nets likely win more than half of them, and Nash’s resume looks wholly different.

Managing the personalities in Milwaukee, with a superstar who is a true leader and not full of himself, would allow Nash’s giftings to shine. If the Bucks could find an offensive guru like Nash to improve that side of the court while maintaining their tough defense, they could get the refresh needed to continue contending. Nash should be a strongly considered candidate.