Warriors end on losing note
# Future of Nelson and Davis uncertain, but Mullin expects both to be back
By Geoff Lepper
STAFF WRITER
Article Launched: 04/16/2008
OAKLAND -- The vibe at Oracle Arena on Wednesday might have best been
described as the last day of school. Except in that setting, you usually
have a good idea of who's graduating and who's going to be back the
following year.
Not so with the Warriors, who could see almost two-thirds of their roster
depart during the summer via free agency. So before a final 126-121 loss
to
the visiting Seattle SuperSonics that dropped the team's final record to
48-34, Golden State vice president Chris Mullin did his best to try to add
some clarity to the situation.
Mullin said that when October rolls around, he expects to welcome back
both
coach Don Nelson, who is under contract for $5.1 million but is mulling
retirement, and star guard Baron Davis, who could opt out of his deal if
he's willing to risk a guaranteed $17.81 million.
And he made it eminently clear that his team's twin 22-year-old fast
risers -- guard Monta Ellis, the reigning Most Improved Player, and center
Andris Biedrins, the NBA's leader in field-goal percentage this season --
will return after dalliances with restricted free agency, regardless of
the
financial consequences.
"We'll keep them, and then a decision will be made" on how to pay for it,
Mullin said. That includes using the team's right to match any offer sheet
that the players might sign with another club.
"I'm just going to let them do what they do," Ellis said of the
negotiating
parties. "I'm coming back."
Things aren't as clear for Davis, however. The Warriors' MVP and lead
captain said that he will hold up his decision on opting out -- the
deadline
doesn't come until the end of May -- until he sees some movement from the
team on an extension covering 2009-10 and beyond. But Mullin said he
doesn't
expect to engage in such talks until the threat of an opt-out has passed.
"There's a lot of scenarios that you could throw out and play with," Davis
said. "The bottom line is, if they want me to be here long-term, and it's
mutually agreed upon and it's the best deal for both sides, then there's
no
reason to talk about (opting out)."
As for Nelson, he said he's going to head to Maui until June 1, then
return
to help prepare for the Warriors' draft on June 26. That's the same day of
Nelson's arbitration hearing in his battle with Dallas Mavericks owner
Mark
Cuban over $6 million in disputed deferred compensation.
"About the first of (July), I'll let them know," Nelson said. "That's
about
the date that the contract expires anyway, so I certainly won't leave them
hanging."
Nelson said if he does come back, "I'm pretty sure that it'll be my last
year. ... It's just that I'm getting up to the point where it's just not
an
easy job."
So the Warriors will be under the gun to win now, while they still have
their resident genius in place. How to accomplish that will rest on
Mullin's
shoulders. After going 42-40 last season, the Warriors worked hard during
the summer to make sure they retained as many pieces from that puzzle as
they could.
Will they do the same during this offseason, or will they try to parlay
some
of their more untested talent for a player with more potential to make an
immediate impact?
"This team has obviously improved," Mullin said. "We've gotten younger.
We've gotten better. Now, how we move forward, there's going to be a lot
of
discussions about that. ... The good thing is we've got good players that
play well together. We've got young guys coming up."
One young guy who may not be back is second-year guard Kelenna Azubuike,
who
said Wednesday -- not surprisingly -- he will definitely be declining his
player option with the Warriors for next season. Instead of getting paid a
minimum salary of $797,581, Azubuike can seek greener pastures.
"It's been great here. I would definitely love to play here again next
year,
but we'll just see what happens," Azubuike said. "You may say something,
and
then someone gives you an offer that you can't refuse."
Davis and the rest of Golden State's usual starting five took the floor
for
the opening tap, ensuring that he would become the only Warrior to play in
all 82 games this season and he would make it through his first season
without an absence since 2001-02.
The Warriors had a chance to tie the 1971-72 Phoenix Suns as the team with
the most wins not to make the playoffs in NBA history, but a career-high
42
points and 13 rebounds from Seattle rookie Kevin Durant and another 27
points and 10 boards from rookie teammate Jeff Green prevented that from
taking place.
Not that it was a major problem for the Warriors. The only salient point
in
their locker room was the Western Conference postseason will proceed
without
them.
Contact Geoff Lepper at glepper@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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