[Mavdog]

Nelson knows his worth
Scott Ostler

Wednesday, July 4, 2007


One way to look at Don Nelson's behind-the-scenes demand for a contract renegotiation/adjustment is that all he's seeking is a cost-of-living raise.

For a decade, the Warriors were dead. Now they're alive. If Chris Cohan wants his team to go on living, it will cost him.

Nelson is less than a year into his three-year contract and he's shaking down the Warriors for an extra million or more dollars per year (that's a guess) on top of the $3.1 million per season he agreed to, in writing, 10 months ago.

That's crazy, right?

I couldn't do that. You couldn't do that. How come Nellie can do that?

Because he's Nellie and we're not.

We didn't turn the NBA's most mystifyingly clueless team into one of its most entertaining, and Nelson did.

"Sure, I signed a three-year deal last year," Nelson probably is telling the Warriors' management right now, "but I didn't realize I was this good."

Who did? Nelson has done some good coaching, but this was his finest work. He made chicken salad out of a sow's ear.

When he signed a year ago, Nelson said he believed the Warriors were a playoff team. He was dead wrong, and he soon realized the error of his judgment. He -- and Chris Mullin -- blew up the team and rebuilt it from the soul out, and the team took local fans on the most exciting sports thrill ride in years.

Then Nelson said he might not return, giving Bay Area sports fans something new to worry them. With the last eight Warriors' coaches, the concern each offseason was that the coach was threatening to return.

The threat thing bothers a lot of people, Nelson saying he'll retire to Hawaii if the Warriors' ownership doesn't show him more love in some tangible form.

Indignant fans want to know: Whatever happened to the sanctity of a contract?

Good question. In a similar vein, whatever happened to the purity of the two-hand set shot?

Baron Davis has one season left on his contract, and at some point, prompted by a media question or all on his own, Davis will mention that he really would like the Warriors to rip up his contract and give him an extension.

Because that's how it's done. Anyone who says "a contract is a contract" is hopelessly out of touch with the reality of modern sports business.

If you're performing lousy, you collect your check without apology. If you're performing well, you demand a bump. In most cases, you don't make your demand as early in the contract's life as Nelson did, but in most cases, you're not 67 years old and looking at the last year or two of your career.

Nelson was smart; he created his leverage. He invented, through his coaching and his input on personnel moves, a team that can win and is exciting and, most importantly, can be coached only by Don Nelson.

The Warriors could bring in another coach. Nelson's protege, Keith Smart, would be a likely candidate. But that would be like turning over Picasso's half-finished painting to his top art student.

Even if the next coach turned out to be a splendid fit for the Warriors, as the previous eight did not, what are the odds that he would inspire the players to talk about how they love their coach, and say it with conviction?

Nelson has been a bit disingenuous, dating back to his postseason musing about how he wasn't sure if he would come back next season because of the mental and physical toll that coaching exacts. It does wear down a fellow, but now Nelson's decision on whether to return seems to hinge on money.

That's a problem with some fans because it dissolves their fantasy that last season was pure Camelot, that these were knights who would have played and coached for free. Sadly for the dreamers, pro basketball is still a job, with paychecks.

Nelson's base salary last season made him the 17th-highest-paid coach in the 30-team league. When he signed, his leverage was less, he couldn't command Gregg Popovich dollars.

Nelson's stock soared, he gained leverage, now he's using it. If there's one thing Nelson has taught us, it's that you should do the best you can with what you've got.

If you're disillusioned or even disgusted by Nelson's shakedown, just remember that if any of the last eight Warriors coaches -- between Don Nelson and Don Nelson -- had tried this, we would not be having philosophical debates right now, we'd be laughing milk out of our noses.