Don Nelson & Chris Cohan’s Dispute Risks Future Of Golden State Warriors

September 11 07

The Contra Costa Times updates Don Nelson’s situation with the Warriors:

Warriors coach Don Nelson, profoundly unhappy with the way his contract negotiations are going, plans on flying home to Hawaii after having spent several weeks in the Bay Area hoping to cement reworked details for the two years remaining on his deal. Jeff Van Gundy, fired by the Rockets in May, is unemployed, but he would most likely require an outlay of $5 million or more.

My Quick Take: The longer Nelson’s contract dispute goes on, the worse everybody looks. Coach Nelson, owner Chris Cohan, and the entire Golden State franchise are starting to look unprofessional and unprepared.

Last year, the Warriors benefited from Nelson and Cohan putting past differences aside and working together. And because of Golden State’s success, a trip to the playoffs and first round win over Dallas, Nelson and Cohan received league-wide accolades and praise. ’We Believe’ was the NBA’s feel-good story.

That goodwill and momentum is gone. All of it. The Warriors, instead of using their 2006-07 season to turn the corner as a franchise, still resemble the dysfunctional bunch that missed the playoffs for twelve straight years.

Nelson and Cohan are both wrong, too. Nelson has a contract. He’s renegotiating and should be flexible in negotiations. But Cohan has to do more keep to keep his coach happy. For years, he overpaid Mike Dunleavy Jr., Troy Murphy, and Adonal Foyle, so what’s the issue with paying Nelson what he’s actually worth?

Both Nelson and Cohan have a lot to lose. Nelson’s legacy will be forever ruined if he quits the Warriors and permanently retires to Maui. His personality quirks will have overshadowed his coaching genius. And the Warriors instantly fall back to laughingstock status if Cohan loses his veteran sideline boss.

Nelson and Cohan should stop being stubborn. Their reputations and the fate of the Warriors is at stake.

Agree or disagree? Get at us in the comment box below with your thoughts.

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7 Comments: Don Nelson & Chris Cohan’s Dispute Risks Future Of Golden (...)

Posted by
starving wine country caddie
on 03.25.2009

Just a personal story about Chris Cohan.... I am a caddy at a prestige golf course (mayacama) in northern california. I got the "pleasure" to caddy for this bust of an NBA owner at the end of March ’09. This man tipped the bear minimum for he and his friend. There is no hope for the warriors with this penny pinching loser, (and 27 handicap golfer) as owner. .

Posted by

on 09.16.2007

There’s not a chance in hell that a no nonsense no BS coach like Jeff Van Gundy would come to Golden State to work for a full of crap owner like Chris Cohan. Not a chance in hell. If we lose Nelson, and don’t have a suitable replacement, the franchise will go back to the strating line, which would be detrimental to the future of the organization. .

Posted by
Chris Washburn
on 09.13.2007

The players believe in the coach. When was the last time that happened. He deserves to be paid like a top 5 coach. Who knows the details of him signing the contract last year and what the circumstances were. Letting Nelson walk over a couple million is franchise suicide right now. We need him one more year. .

Posted by
wal
on 09.12.2007

lol what fate man they got a break and caught dallas sleeping last go round trust me it wont happen again itll even be a tough time them getting to the playoffs this year than last conseidering how lucky they were.im not saying they no good but man will they have it rough the only thing they can do is fight it out and hop for the best lol .

Posted by
WRoundball
on 09.12.2007

Id not pay a penney more to keep Nelson. Its real simple-PRINCIPAL. A contract is a contract. As late as March 1 Nelson himself was questionning whether he still had it. Were it not for J Rich;s heroic efforts to rush back from knee surgery, there is NO way Warriors made the playoffs. And beating a team the Warriors have recently owned (w/o Nelson) and a team Nelson bilt, doesnt prove Nelsons worth. Give Nelson credit for whatever his role was in trading Murph and DenL for what we got, but it ends there.Think Nelosn would be offereing "money back" if Warriors hadn’t had the last 6 weeks they had? No way. A deal is a deal. .

Posted by
MHughes
on 09.12.2007

It is absurd to think that Nelson’s legacy would be hurt by this. Neither will Cohan’s, since his legacy is and will continue to be ’dumbest owner in NBA history’ unless he attempts to accomodate Nelson in some way. I would have included ’cheapest’ in this legacy, but this is about winning, not about being cheap. If it were the latter, he would be willing to give Nelson a one-year-without-option contract for $5M plus bonuses for going beyond the 2nd round. Nelson would probably accept this since it would allow him to move on to another team next year if Cohan weren’t willing to pay him what he wants. Cohan won’t allow this and wants to do to Nelson what the Detroit Lions did to Barry Sanders—deprive fans of his presence. .

Posted by

on 09.11.2007

I honestly think the warriors and Chris Cohan have much more to lose than Don Nelson. Don Nelson has pumped life back into the Warriors organization. Before he arrived, the warriors were headed towards another 20 to 30 win season. Since he’s been there, he’s brought unity into the organization. Something that the Warriors were lacking. Grant it, his style of play can be a bit erratic, but he taught those guys how to play together. If they don’t give Don Nelson what he wants, they’ll be just like how the clippers were a few years back. I can’t see how the warriors organization can justify paying Adonal Foyle the kind of money they did (and he was a bust might i add) but not willing to pay nelson what he clearly deserves. Donnie has absolutely nothing to lose at this point. He’s walked away before over money, I am more than sure he has no problem walking away now. The warriors need don nelson more than he needs them. .

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	About Oly Sandor
Daily take on NBA Oly Sandor is an NBA analyst and sports journalist based out of Vancouver, Canada.After years of the free-lance game, Oly Sandor is bringing his unique brand of NBA analysis exclusively to (...) More

Don Nelson & Chris Cohan’s Dispute Risks Future Of Golden State Warriors

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