Don Nelson Is Back, What About Golden State’s Other Issues?

ESPN.com news services reports that Don Nelson and the Warriors have agreed on a contract extension:

Don Nelson has reached an agreement with the Golden State Warriors and will return to coach the team for at least one more season, the San Jose Mercury News reported.

Nelson, who led the Warriors to a first-round upset of the heavily favored Dallas Mavericks in last season’s playoffs, accepted a restructuring of the remaining two years on his contract. His salary will increase to $5.1 million from $3.1 million, but the final season on the deal is now a team option rather than guaranteed money, according to the report.

Nelson said the deal also includes a clause that gives him a five-year consulting deal worth $1 million if the team chooses not to exercise the option for 2008-09.

My Quick Take: Don Nelson and Chris Cohan’s dangerous game of chicken is over. Nelson, after threatening to retire if his contract wasn’t renegotiated, will return to Golden State’s sideline.

Both sides compromised on this new contract. Nelson had to give the team an option on his contract’s second year, while Cohan, the team owner, had to top-up his coach’s salary and agree to the consulting clause.

So Nelson is in. Fair or not, there are other concerns swirling around the Warriors:

• Critics argue the Warriors won’t surprise anyone and their fast-break style won’t work over an 82 game season. This may be true. But Baron Davis’ squad will have an entire season to gel. Last year, they didn’t start clicking until February.

• Jason Richardson for Brand Wright? An established, border-line star earning 11 million dollars per season for an athletic, but unproven prospect? Sounds like a salary dump, right? Wrong! Trading J-Rich opens up the two-guard spot for Euro Marco Belinelli.

• Matt Barnes was resigned. Will The Mohawk repeat his fine second-half and playoff run? I believe Barnes will have another strong year. After all, his one-year contract only affords him some security. He still has to play for his next contract.