SFGate
Nellie still deciding about next season
By JOSH DUBOW, AP S****ts Writer
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
(04-16) 23:05 PDT Oakland, Calif. (AP) --
Don Nelson plans to take a couple of months before deciding whether he
will return for a third season as coach of the Golden State Warriors.
Speaking before the Warriors' final game of the season Wednesday
night, Nelson said he would go to Maui until the beginning of June and
think about what he wants to do next season. Nelson said he expects to
let the team know his decision by about July 1.
"I'm getting up to the point where it's not an easy job," the 67-year-
old Nelson said, adding that he doesn't see himself coaching past next
season no matter what he chooses to do.
He wants to wait to make his decision until after his arbitration
hearing with the Dallas Mavericks scheduled for late June. Nelson
filed the claim against Dallas owner Mark Cuban to get $6.5 million of
deferred compensation, which Nelson said he is owed for his time with
the Mavericks from 1997-2005.
Last month, the Warriors exercised their $5.1 million option for the
final year of Nelson's contract. The two sides had re-negotiated
Nelson's contract in September to give him a raise in return for
making the third year of his contract an option.
"I certainly won't leave them hanging," Nelson said.
Nelson led the Warriors to their first playoff berth since 1994 in his
first season, leading an upset of the Mavericks in the first round
before Golden State was eliminated by Utah. The Warriors did even
better this regular season, but missed out on the playoffs in the
ultra-competitive Western Conference.
Golden State went 48-34 this season, fini****ng with the most wins by a
team that missed the playoffs since the postseason expanded to 16
teams in 1984.
"I'd walk away feeling good about this year, feeling good about my two
years here and feeling good about my career," Nelson said. "It's nice
to be wanted and I think the organization would like to have me come
back. I think most of the players in the other room would like me to
come back, probably some wouldn't. I've had a really good time here in
two years and that's a big factor in whether I return or not."
Nelson is the second-winningest coach in NBA history with 1,280 wins,
trailing only Lenny Wilkens (1,332) on the all-time list.
Nelson is one of many Warriors with an uncertain future. Star point
guard Baron Davis can choose to opt out of the final year of his
contract. Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins are restricted free agents,
although team executive vice president Chris Mullin told re****ters he
will definitely match any offer to bring those two back.
Matt Barnes, Mickael Pietrus and Patrick O'Bryant are all unrestricted
free agents, and Kelenna Azubuike can opt out of his contract.
The most intriguing decision revolves around Davis, who is owed about
$17 million if he stays for the final year of his contract. He was
benched in the second half of Monday's loss at Phoenix that eliminated
the Warriors for playoff contention.
Nelson has said it was because Davis did not play well in the first
half. Davis said he was upset about not playing but that he had no
rift with Nelson.
"I was upset that night but he did what he thought was best for the
team," Davis said. "Coach will do what he thinks is best for the team
and I totally sup****t him."
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