Warriors fans hope that a new owner means a new direction for the team.
Don Nelson has other plans, he told Marc Stein if ESPN.com.
“I’m excited about the new ownership,” Nelson said. “I think this team needed that kind of change.
“I think we’ve made a couple good deals to improve the roster. I really love Lee and I think our locker room is getting cleaned up. We’re really moving in a good direction.
“I’d love to coach another year, but I understand that it’s a possibility [I won’t be retained]. I want to do what’s best for the organization. If I have to be a part of the change, I will understand.”
He might stay. The Warriors new owners -- Peter Guber and Joe Lacob -- can’t make changes until the team sale is finalized. So, until after some lawyers make a lot of money. This could take two to three months. If it is in the middle of training camp when it goes through, it might not be the best time to make a radical change. They could ride out the last year of the Nelson’s contract.
But that’s not what Warriors fans want. They have been to the playoffs once in the last 16 years. They want heads to roll, and it’s hard to blame them.
We’ve said before that we think the Warriors need a top to bottom front office change. There is potential there -- Stephen Curry and David Lee, plus Reggie Williams has been tearing up the Summer League in Vegas -- but Nelson’s player rotation and distrust of rookies frustrated talented young players the Warriors had. Now Anthony Morrow and Anthony Randolph are gone, and the Warriors are going to regret that some day.
Nelson has forgotten more basketball than most of us will ever know. He has more wins than any other coach for a reason. But the time for change is now. And it needs to be sweeping. A new direction is needed.