Monday, Warriors CEO Joe Lacob suggested he would be making a big announcement on Tuesday.  But since you probably don’t want to wait, I found out what the announcement was early. Just for you.

As my colleague TK said, it’s not a trade or the new team president. But he still felt compelled to call it an “exciting” announcement. And I know what it is.

Ready?

I’ll give you a hint: Bismarck, N.D.

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Was able to confirm reports by the Houston Chronicle that the Rockets are indeed interested in acquiring Warriors center Andris Biedrins. Houston, with Yao Ming and Chuck Hayes as their expected center options next season, are in need of a big man since Yao’s ability to play again is still suspect and Chuck Hayes, while valiant and completely useful, is probably not a starting center on a playoff team.

For Warriors fans, who have been hoping for Biedrins’ departure for some time, that means the Warriors just may be able to move Biedrins. That was once thought to be impossible considering the drastic decline in his production and the three years, $27 million he has left on his contract.  But apparently, Houston is a taker.

So why is Biedrins still a Warrior you ask? While this may seem the perfect answer to the Warriors’ ills, Golden State, according to multiple sources, are not at all enamored with the Rockets’ offer thus far. Read the rest of this entry »

By Marcus Thompson II

mthomps2@bayareanewsgroup.com

When it became clear that Golden State could acquire big man Jeremy Tyler, Warriors assistant general manager Bob Myers stood up in the team’s draft room and spoke up.

Myers has known Tyler for years, since he was a middle school phenom in San Diego. Myers felt compelled to issue one last reminder to coach Mark Jackson.

“I said, ‘Mark, you’ve got to coach this guy,’ ” said Myers. “He said, ‘Let’s get him.’”

Assistant coach Michael Malone then asked: “Is he good? Is he big?”

“He’s good and big,” Myers responded. “But you’ve got to keep him on a leash a little bit.”

After that, Golden State agreed to send $2 million to Charlotte in exchange for the No. 39 pick in Thursday’s NBA draft, which the Bobcats used to select Tyler for the Warriors. In doing so, Golden State added some serious excitement to its draft.

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The Warriors had their pick of several players who were expected to go higher. San Diego State small forward Kawhi Leonard, Kansas combo forward Marcus Morris, and Florida State small forward Chris Singleton.

But the Warriors chose the guy they had on their eye all along:  Klay Thompson.

RILEY: “We’ve said before that we like him as a shooter, as an athlete, as a basketball player. He has the NBA skill and he will develop further skills … He has a good pedigree. Comes from a basketball family. This guy will have a good amount of success in the NBA. He has a very good upside. Should be able to play as a rookie and make a contribution to this basketball team.”

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Join us for live NBA draft coverage on Thursday, June 23 at 4 p.m. as our Warriors beat writer Marcus Thompson II participates in a live chat.

Klay Thompson has been linked with the Warriors for a few weeks now, since Jerry West watched him in Los Angeles and vouched for him to Warriors management. But Friday, Klay got a chance to workout in front of co-owner Joe Lacob, new coach Mark Jackson and the entire Warriors’ basketball operations staff.

How’d he do?

SAID ONE ONLOOKER: “Good. Really good. No surprise.”

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Here is the transcript from Mark Jackson’s interview with the media at the NBA Finals in Dallas.

Q. Mark, could you talk about the significance of hiring Michael Malone as your lead assistant, and what you hope he’ll bring to the table for you?

MARK JACKSON:  Well, first and foremost, it’s a great day.  Getting to Michael Malone, he’s a guy I’ve known for quite some time.  They gave me the opportunity to establish my own staff.  He’s the guy I’ve targeted throughout the course of not just this process but when I’ve interviewed before, we had an understanding that I would come after him.

So it is truly a great day in Warriorland to get a guy like Mike Malone.  Because I have tremendous respect for his passion, his knowledge, his commitment and he’s an extremely loyal guy.  So it’s a big‑time hire for us.

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Here is Warriors release:

WARRIORS NAME MARK JACKSON HEAD COACH

17-Year NBA Veteran Becomes 24th Head Coach In Franchise History

OAKLAND, CA – The Golden State Warriors have named Mark Jackson, a 17-year NBA veteran as a player and current ABC/ESPN broadcaster, as the team’s new head coach, it was announced today. Jackson becomes the 24th head coach in franchise history and the 19th since the team moved to the West Coast in 1962. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not announced.

Jackson, 46, played for seven organizations – New York (twice), the L.A. Clippers, Indiana (twice), Denver, Toronto, Utah and Houston – during his highly-successful 17-year NBA career and helped guide his teams to the playoffs in 14 of those 17 seasons. A native of Brooklyn, New York, he ranks third on the NBA’s all-time assists list (10,334) – trailing only John Stockton and Jason Kidd – and was named a member of the Eastern Conference All-Star team in 1989. Jackson was originally selected by the New York Knicks in the first round of the 1987 NBA Draft (18th overall) and promptly captured NBA Rookie of the Year honors at the conclusion of the 1987-88 campaign. He established a still-standing NBA record for assists by a rookies in a single season (868) and played for five Hall of Fame coaches during his collegiate and professional careers (Lou Carnesecca, Lenny Wilkens, Jerry Sloan, Pat Riley and Larry Brown).

“After an extensive search and a great deal of consideration, we have come to the conclusion that Mark Jackson is the best coach for this team,” said Warriors’ General Manager Larry Riley. “He will bring a youthful and fresh approach to our team and the fact that he enjoyed a stellar playing career, where he served most of that time as the leader of some very successful teams, will prove invaluable in the long run. We were looking for a coach with leadership ability and a strong personality and believe Mark possesses those qualities. He’s very well respected in NBA circles, is a consummate professional and his knowledge and background will be an incredible asset for our team and organization.”

“We are tremendously excited about the addition of Mark Jackson as our new head coach,” said Warriors’ Owner Joe Lacob. “He epitomized leadership as a player in this league for 17 seasons and we think that characteristic – and many other positive traits – will translate very well into his coaching duties with our young team. He was a leader and a winner both on and off the floor in this league and we’re convinced that he is the right person to guide this team into the future and help us achieve the success that we are striving for as an organization.”

“I am really elated about this opportunity and I’m looking forward to the challenge of building the Warriors into a perennial contender,” said Jackson. “I cannot tell you how impressed I was with the organization during our meetings, beginning at the top with Joe Lacob and, of course, with Larry Riley, Bob Myers and Jerry West. I have sensed that Joe is committed to winning and building a team and a culture the right way. I think we all witnessed that with some of the recent front office additions as well and some of the other positive things that have been done in recent months. This is an incredible opportunity and I am honored and thank God that I have been chosen to be the next coach of the Warriors. The Bay Area has always had some of the best fans in the NBA and I look forward to being a part of that incredible atmosphere at Oracle Arena, along with my wife, my kids and my church family, who are thrilled as well.”

Jackson, who will assume his new duties at the conclusion of the NBA Finals, appeared in 131 playoff games during his career, including 23 with the Indiana Pacers in 2000, when he was a member of the Eastern Conference Champions (played L.A. Lakers in the NBA Finals). Additionally, he led the NBA in assists during the 1996-97 campaign (11.4 apg).

Jackson will be introduced to the Bay Area media later this week.