The Layup Line

Don Nelson’s Return to Warriors Spells Doom

After several weeks of faux deliberation, last week Don Nelson confirmed that he would return to coach the final year of his contract with Golden State. Many Golden State fans received the news with glee, but I’m less than sanguine.

Chris Mullin is heading into the most important off season of his front office career and now faces an impossible dilemma. Most of Mullin’s roster is in flux and Golden State will determine the shape of their team for the next several seasons this summer. But here’s the problem: does Chris Mullin construct a roster for the final year of Nellie Ball or does he think beyond this season and construct a team that fits a more traditional style, anticipating the imminent departure of Nelson?

One more year of Nellie Ball means competing for the 8th spot in the West while putting an uptempo, exciting brand of basketball on the court. Building a team for the post-Nelson era means throwing the upcoming season on the scrap heap and not signing a Nellified bench in order to have better fitted personnel available for Nelson’s successor. That could well mean a competitive team into the next decade. But there are no guarantees.

The only reasonable option at Mullin’s disposal is to—no brainer alert—resign Monte Ellis and Andris Biedrins while showing show great frugality with regard to Matt Barnes and Mickael Pietrus—they must have contracts which could be easily moved at a later point. Kelenna Azubuike is a wild card because of his ability to play half-court basketball, but I can’t see an argument for overspending for him, either.

Don Nelson might put pressure on Mullin to trade Brandan Wright for a player that is more conducive to his style of play, but that would be a mistake. Wright represents the future, and Nelson is nearly a relic.