Smart in, Nellie Out
By Marcus Thompson
Thursday, September 23rd, 2010 at 4:45 pm in Uncategorized.
UPDATED: According to multiple sources, the Warriors are cutting coach Don Nelson’s tenure a year short and giving Keith Smart the head coaching job. This will go down officially on Monday at the team’s media day.
Nelson has one year on his contract, for $6 million, but the Warriors – which have a new ownership group led by Joe Lacob – is deciding to start their new ear era now (Thanks @FRSHBattle). According to one of the sources, the Warriors have agreed to a settlement package with Nelson, who is getting the entire $6 million according to one source.
Smart is getting a shot to see if he’s the coach of the future, and Calbert Cheaney is moving to the bench to be an assistant, a source said. It also gives the Warriors time to find a new coach if Smart is not the guy. Nelson is in town and one source said he has talked with Joe Lacob, the incoming owner.
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September 23rd, 2010 at 4:52 pm
Take care Nellie!
September 23rd, 2010 at 4:55 pm
Thanks for 07, that was fun.
September 23rd, 2010 at 5:04 pm
[...] news outlets like The Contra Costa Times and espn.com are reporting that former Iowa basketball player Don Nelson will resign as the head [...]
September 23rd, 2010 at 5:15 pm
Gonna miss Nellie but it was time
September 23rd, 2010 at 5:20 pm
Nellie is very enigmatic.
He builds a winning team, get’s the W’s, then he personally dismantles it with his odd decsisions.
It’s always been like that with RUN TMC, then that stint with Dallas, then the ’07 run with Baron Davis. They were fun times but it didnt take long before they disintegrated. Oftentimes, they ended ugly with both parties having unpleasant things to say to each other.
If you have a team that went to the playoff one year, and went back to same old same old the following year and beyond, then there is clearly a problem somewhere that needs to be addressed.
Nellie can win a lot for the franchise, but just cannot finish. He wins regular games but the playoff scenario is not his turf.
One only needs to examine his career.
September 23rd, 2010 at 5:23 pm
Thanks Marcus!
I wish Nellie could be kept on as a cigar smoking, scotch drinking scout – talent evaluation was always a strength of his – I don’t have any faith in Riley yet.
Any bets as to how long Keith Smart lasts? I wouldn’t think that of all the coaches a new owner would make, K. Smart would be his choice. Let’s see.
September 23rd, 2010 at 5:31 pm
Thank. God. I’m glad that Nellie is gone for good because he was bad news and getting rid of him is major addition by subtraction.
This news is almost as good as the sell itself!
September 23rd, 2010 at 5:42 pm
Lol, Nelson got every dime on the way out, gotta love Nellie!! That should mean the end for Rowell to because he signed Nellie to the extention and already cost his new boss 6 mil
September 23rd, 2010 at 5:51 pm
[...] And yes, Nellie is getting the full six million dollars remaining on his contract. Must be [...]
September 23rd, 2010 at 6:09 pm
Rowell’s still here, Lacob fail.
September 23rd, 2010 at 6:12 pm
Thank Heavens! Finally!
September 23rd, 2010 at 6:18 pm
So the Warriors defensive coordinator has been promoted to head coach.
Lacob comes from the Celtics where there is a huge emphasis on defense. Defense will obviously be more of a priority on the Warriors this season.
September 23rd, 2010 at 7:02 pm
Actually, Riley is doing a good job.
For the limited resources he have not to mention the low appeal of our team from descent players, Riley did a good job.
We still have a core to revolve around, We still have a potential to grow and surpass expectations. It will be all hard work and we are just one player away from a championship and that will be big man for sure in tandem with David Lee.
I have a feeling things are going to be ok than we expect just do something with the curse of injuries.
September 23rd, 2010 at 7:23 pm
Thx Nellie! Not putting you in the hall of fame makes the selection commitee look pretty silly.
September 23rd, 2010 at 8:09 pm
Lacob made a major mistake!
September 23rd, 2010 at 8:38 pm
I will never forgive Nelson for trading Mitch Richmond for Billy Owens. Billy Owens???!!!
September 23rd, 2010 at 8:41 pm
Nellie – It was fun while it lasted. You are a good coach no matter what anyone says. This guy is a professional and took pride in his work. It is hard to tell given the amount or lack of sufficient talent with the W’s. As I stated, if Nellie was put in a better team like the Cavs last year with LBJ, who knows what would have happened. This was not the case so adios for now. Thank you for the fun you brought into the W’s the second time around.
Aloha!
September 23rd, 2010 at 11:37 pm
What settlement package when they are paying him the full $6 million? Just go ahead and fire the guy!
September 24th, 2010 at 8:02 am
I DONT CARE WHAT ANYONE SAY ABOUT NELLIE. HE WAS THE ONLY COACH THAT BROUGHT ENERGY TO OAKLAND. ALL THE OTHER COACHES WE HAD DIDNT BRING ANYTHING. THANKS FOR EVERYTHING NELLIE. YOU WERE THE BEST COACH THE WARRIORS EVER HAD.
September 24th, 2010 at 8:58 am
Ewok, the only place Nellie dismantled what he built was GS. He built a dynasty im Milwaukee that lasted 10 years. He built another in Dallas by drafting Dirk and signing Nash. He didn’t let Nash go.
I hated he came back to GS. He had left so much bad blood there and it waited on him. I have never seen sportswriters feast on an old man with more vigor. It was very distasteful, particularly in that he gave you thrills you didn’t expect in the first year, a winning record in the second that would have taken them to the playoffs the second year. Then Baron left and after Baron left a lot of things happened–Harrington, Randolph, whatever–most of which were born out of proportion. Those guys really weren’t going to make a difference. My bet is Nellie thought he would have Baron one more year and be competitive. I wish he had left when Baron did. I would have had to read a lot less uninformed commentary from Mr. K, who played ping pong once and then just went home and practiced being vile. As things went down, Nellie gave the city better than it deserved. As always, it was ownership that failed the city.
September 26th, 2010 at 9:25 pm
Now that Nellie and Cohan are gone, who is Mr. K and others going to blame should the season go sideways for the W’s? Maybe blame Kermit the Frog!
It would be interesting as I am hopeful that we will do well this year but realistic that we have some talent albeit limited.
Lets watch Kawakami as he easily put the bullseye on Coach Nelson.
September 29th, 2010 at 1:39 pm
[...] meant by that was Monta Ellis shouldered too much responsibility, either by Don Nelson’s request, who is now aft, or because Ellis felt the need to do so as he signed a large contract and subsequently missed an [...]