Lottery prospect Deni Avdija has seen firsthand Amar'e Stoudemire encourage and help talent grow and develop.
"Amar'e as a teammate was great, great man," Avdija said during Zoom media interviews last month. "Has a lot of patience with young guys. Really wants the young guys to improve."
He'll take on a similar role with a familiar face – Steve Nash.
The first-time head coach has added his former All-Star teammate in Phoenix as an assistant with a focus on player development, The Athletic reported.
Nash and Stoudemire were the 1-2 punch during Phoenix's great run in the 2000s under Mike D'Antoni.