70-year old Don Nelson has “resigned” as the head coach of the Golden State Warriors but he will still get his $6 million dollar salary.  It’s off to retirement in Maui, Hawaii for Nelson who leaves the NBA as the winningest head coach in NBA history.  Make no mistake though, the new owners of the Warriors pushed Nelson out the door.  The Warriors were only 26-56 (31.7%) last season as they finished 4th in the Western Conference’s Pacific Division, 31 games behind the Lakers.  Nelson compiled a 422-443 record (48.8%) in his 11 years (two stints) with the Warriors.  He was also 14-21 (40%) in the playoffs with the Warriors.  Nelson was a head coach for 31 years in the NBA and he was 1,335-1,063 (55.7%) during the regular season.  He was also 75-91 (45.2%) in the playoffs.  Despite all of those wins he has he never won an NBA title.    The Warriors have hired 46-year old Keith Smart to take over as their new head coach.  Smart only has 40 games of experience as an NBA head coach.  That came in 2002-03 with the Cleveland Cavaliers when he was 9-31 (22.5%).

The Warriors have signed 27-year old forward Louis Amundson to a 2-year, $4.7 million dollar deal. Amundson played in 79 games (0 starts) for the Suns last season and he averaged 14.8 minutes, 4.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game. He has now played in 182 games (0 starts) in his NBA career and he has averaged 13.0 minutes, 4.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game. Amundson will give the Warriors some toughness and rebounding off the bench in 2010-11.

22-year old Stephen Curry was good all year long for the Warriors but he finished really strong.  The Warriors hope his elite play continues and why wouldn’t it as he is a force on offense.  Curry played in 80 games (77 starts) last season for the Warriors and he averaged 36.2 minutes, 17.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.9 steals per game.  Curry shoots well from everywhere on the court hitting 46.2% from the floor, 43.7% from three point range and 88.5% from the free throw line.  This season I project that Curry will average 20+ points per game for the Warriors.

22-year old undrafted rookie Jeremy Lin will back up Stephen Curry at the point in 2010-11.  Lin played in 5 games in the summer league with the Mavericks in which he averaged 18.6 minutes, 9.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.2 steals per game.  He also shot 54.5% from the floor.  The Mavericks liked Lin but he didn’t think he would get much of a chance with them which led him to sign with his favorite team……The Golden State Warriors.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE WARRIORS POINT GUARDS IN 2010-11:  A

The Warriors have signed 26-year old small forward Rodney Carney. Carney played in 68 games (0 starts) for the 76ers last season and he averaged 12.6 minutes, 4.7 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.5 assists per game. He has played in 272 games (47 starts) in his four years in the NBA and he has averaged 15.7 minutes, 6.1 points, 2.0 rebounds and 0.4 assists per game. This was a good signing for the Warriors as Carney is a very underrated basketball player who will help their bench.