Whoa Nellie!

Sorry for the Post headline, but I have to say, I was not expecting this news! It may have seemed obvious based on the Warriors performance issues over the last two seasons and cryptic words from owner Joe Lacob, but I would have put a fair amount of money on Golden State keeping the Don around for the last season on his contract, giving him the chance to continue to develop Stephen Curry and work with David Lee. It seemed like the easiest thing to do.

But, alas, Lacob and fellow new owner Peter Guber, could not wait until 2011-2012 for a total "rebuilding". And as much as I love Nelson on a personal, drinking buddy level, this might end up being a really smart decision. Barring a remarkably good season, Nelson would have probably been out after this year. With all the new pieces in Golden State, it makes sense to give them a new coach from the get-go, rather than disrupting things after one season. Additionally, Keith Smart seems like a nice fit. The players like him, he's been very involved with leading the team, and if things don't work out, the stakes aren't all that high, economically or for the new owners' reputation. It's a safe choice, yet one with a high ceiling that could produce surprisingly good results.

That said, we'll miss Don. A lot. His tenure with the Warriors has included so many great moments and for at least a couple of us here, some of the most fun-to-watch basketball we've ever seen. All we can hope for is that, since he'll still make his $6 million for the upcoming year, he's fine with covering the tab when we invite him out for Scotch.