Steve Nash joins Warriors as player development consultant

After three injury-plagued seasons with the Lakers, Steve Nash retired as a player.

On Friday, he officially joined the Golden State Warriors as a player development consultant.

“I look forward to joining Coach [Steve] Kerr and his great staff and helping out in any way that I can,” said Nash in a statement. “The Warriors played such a beautiful style of team basketball last season and it’s a style that I am very familiar with and enjoyed playing throughout my career.

“This team is extremely talented, as they proved in winning the championship last season, but they also have a number of core players who are relatively young in their careers. That is a very unique blend and I’m excited about the opportunity to work with these guys and hopefully pass along some of the lessons that I learned during my career.”

While unable to play with the Lakers, Nash spent some time last season mentoring rookie Jordan Clarkson. That relationship continued on occasion over the summer, but will cease with Nash’s agreement with the Warriors.

“Steve Nash was one of the best guards to ever play in this league and we are so happy to add him to our staff and have him working with our players,” Kerr said. “Even though he possessed incredible individual skills and abilities, Steve always played the game with a team-first mentality, which is something that we emphasize greatly within our group. Steve and I have a great relationship from our time together in Phoenix while I was general manager, and we share a lot of beliefs about how the game should be played and about the work ethic that goes in to being great. I can’t wait to work with him again and have him around our team.”

It’s somewhat perplexing the Lakers didn’t make sure Nash stayed within the organization to help guide first-round draft pick D’Angelo Russell, who the Lakers chose second overall, as well as Clarkson, both play-making guards.

Instead he’s in the service of a divisional rival.

Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @EricPincus.