The Lakers finally fielded nearly a full roster.

Kobe Bryant wore a Lakers jersey. So did Julius Randle. Nick Young temporarily forgot about the pain in his left knee and strapped on his Lakers gear, too.

Too bad this reunion did not take place in an actual game or else the Lakers (17-46) may have entered Thursday’s game against the New York Knicks (12-50) at Staples Center in much better starts. Instead, this all centered around the Lakers posing for the team photo for the 2014-15 season where everyone showed up.

Well, except for one person.

Steve Nash.

The Lakers veteran guard has kept his distance from the franchise after the team ruled him out in late October for the season amid chronic back issues. There has marked one exception, though. Nash has spent the past two months working with Lakers rookie guard Jordan Clarkson.

“It was great, especially for him to reach out, because he didn’t have to do that,” Clarkson said on Wednesday after practice at the Lakers’ facility in El Segundo. “Just being able to learn from somebody like that, it’s just a great feeling.”

Clarkson has since jokingly addressed Nash as “Professor Steve” and plans to have an evening workout on Wednesday.
Bryant may have helped Clarkson during the Lakers’ win over Detroit on Tuesday at Staples Center about understanding pick-and-roll coverages and thinking through the game. But Clarkson has already completed a handful of workouts with Nash in the past two months.

With Clarkson averaging 14.2 points on 45 percent shooting and 4.3 assists through 30.3 minutes as a starter, both Clarkson and Lakers coach Byron Scott both traced how Nash’s mentorship has boosted those numbers. Clarkson credited Nash for helping his pocket passing and making hockey assists.

“His passing has gotten much better,” Scott of Clarkson. “Steve was so great at passing the ball anyway. We always talk about the little pocket pass, he’s starting to make that with ease. You start seeing some of the stuff that Steve is talking with him about. Sometimes it’s easier to relate to a player like that than it is to us as coaches. Because we’re sitting there saying, ‘The pocket pass is open, Jordan. The pocket pass is open.’ But Steve is showing him how to throw it in his own unique way.”

It also seems unique how the partnership between Nash and Clarkson first materialized.

Clarkson reported he and Nash exchanged informal text messages after he met with the team prior to its flight on Christmas Eve to Chicago. But talk about working out together did not happen until Jan. 21 in New Orleans, incidentally the same night Bryant suffered a season-ending right shoulder injury.

“Text me when you want to get in the gym,” Clarkson recalled Nash saying in his own text message. “Just let me know.”

That first meeting took place on Jan. 28, a day before Clarkson would match up against Chicago’s Derrick Rose. That session mostly involved film work. Once Clarkson returned from the Lakers’ week-long Grammy Trip in early February, Nash and Clarkson completed what he called “hands-on stuff.” Most sessions have usually lasted 30 minutes, but Clarkson spent an off-day during the team’s All-Star break on Feb. 16 completing a two-hour session.

“Steve’s been real patient. He comes in with a good attitude,” Clarkson said. “We work. Shoot, he’s almost like one of my boys, coming to the gym and working. He’s just got a little more experience and he knows what he’s doing.”

Obviously. Nash has cemented a Hall of Fame resume that includes two NBA MVP awards and a third-place standing on the league’s all-time assists list (10,355). Even though Scott and general manager Mitch Kupchak granted Nash an indefinite leave of absence, Scott continuously held out hope Nash would serve out the final year of his $9.8 million contract mentoring the team.

That has not happened as planned.

After Scott’s unsuccessful attempts to reach Nash only led to minimal contact, Scott soon delegated to Kupchak. He has since said he frequently has breakfast with Nash. That dialogue then led to Nash coordinating with Thomas Scott, Byron’s son and the Lakers’ player development coach.

“I just hear afterwards that they worked,” Scott said. “But I love the fact that Steve is working with him.”

And apparently only him.

“No invite for me,” Lakers point guard Jeremy Lin said, smiling, despite his text messages going unanswered. “It’s all good.”

Perhaps the reasoning entails the uncertainty on whether Lin and the Lakers see such a partnership as a long-term commitment. Lin will become an unrestricted free agent and has often talked about preferring to play in a more traditional offense. Scott has often critiqued Lin’s aggressiveness level and familiarity with his system.

Meanwhile, the Lakers have a team option on Clarkson. But after securing his rights by buying the Washington Wizards their 46th draft pick, they talk openly about how Clarkson will play on their Summer League team. Clarkson called Nash a “good guy,” noting that they worked out together before training camp. All of which led to lots of feedback that still resonates with Clarkson.

“Slow down,” Clarkson said. “That’s it. Just period – slow down, let the stuff happen. Don’t force it.”

Scott also said he will not force Nash to attend the Lakers’ 10 remaining games. Though Scott asked Bryant last week
to attend home games in part to mentor his teammates, Scott conceded he has not reached out to Nash to make a similar request.

“I’ve read some of the blogs, which I thought were unfair to Steve,” Scott said, referring to the frequent criticism on Nash’s continued disconnect from the team. “But I don’t know if he wants to put himself in that position. I don’t know how they would react. But I know us as an organization would love it.”

Clarkson sure is, eager to soak in as many lessons from Nash in private workouts and from Bryant along the sidelines.

“That’s crazy. I’m getting a great opportunity with these guys around, especially for my learning,” Clarkson said. “It’s a blessing. You couldn’t write a book better than the one that I’ve got right now. I’m happy to be here with this organization and happy for them guys to help me.”

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Kobe Bryant’s teammates appreciate his feedback on the bench

Lakers’ Byron Scott doubts Kobe Bryant to coach despite new mentor role

Follow L.A. Daily News Lakers beat writer Mark Medina on Twitter and on Facebook. E-mail him at mark.medina@langnews.com