Nelson has classic NBA problem

OAKLAND

The Warriors are stuck, but Don Nelson didn't admit it. He was talking to the media before Wednesday's night game between the Warriors and Celtics and, naturally, everyone asked him about possible trades, pending trades, any kind of trades because the NBA trading deadline is today at noon.

Nelson did his best job of bobbing and weaving. He said he has no idea about the trade front, which is a downright lie, although let's call it a fib. A coach is allowed to fib about stuff like that. Anyway, here's his problem and it's a doozy. The Warriors need help in the big-guy department and, no, Chris (Stuck in Molasses) Webber is not the answer, although he probably was 14 years ago.

To get the big guy who will propel them into the playoffs, who will end this constant living on the edge of extinction, the Warriors would have to trade a bunch of key players. Or they would have to do something else -- trade rookie power forward Brandon Wright.

You probably don't know much about Wright because he plays about as many minutes for the Warriors as you do. But Nelson loves him and so does general manager Chris Mullin. In sports talk, they think he has "upside."

And that gives the Warriors a classic NBA problem. They could trade Wright for a good theoretical veteran. This theoretical veteran could get the Warriors into the playoffs -- probably. But this theoretical veteran might last a year or two and then he'd be gone.

With Wright, we're talking about a dozen years. We are talking about a full NBA career the Warriors think will be one hell of an NBA career. Do they trade Wright -- i.e. mortgage the future -- for the short-term goal of finishing, say, sixth in the West and edging into the playoffs?

Nelson gave his answer Wednesday night. Well, he seemed to give his answer -- with a slippery guy like Nelson, you never know for sure. Asked if it's a temptation to trade young guys -- read Wright -- he said, "Not for me. The fact that they can't help us this year doesn't mean they're not a big part of our future. We're trying to have our cake and eat it, get into the playoffs and have those guys next year."

Here's what I think. Sure, the Warriors are thinking playoffs. They want to get in, but not that much. They don't want in bad enough to trade Wright. They're content to put up the good fight and fail because, face it, they have a great excuse. The West is tougher than the East and they're in the West and even with their good record they may be toast for the postseason. It's almost like they're a victim of fate.

Don't take my word for it. Listen to Nelson.

"I'm content to move ahead with what we have."

Are the Warriors good enough?

"We may not be. We've been on the bubble all year. If it doesn't work, you know what, we won't get in the playoffs."

Nelson spent some time talking about maybe trading Mickael Pietrus, the most unhappy Warrior. Nelson, who seemed distinctly bored by the topic -- and by the very existence of Pietrus -- said, "Pietrus made it known he'd like to be traded but it has to be for someone who works for us. It's not easy to coach a guy who's not happy and wants to be moved. I've done it before and I can do it again."

Nelson seemed to lose interest in the coachability and the tradability of Pietrus after a while. The Warriors' present and the Warriors' future have nothing to do with Mickael Pietrus. You know that. Nelson knows that. When it comes to trades, the Warriors are pretty much out of blockbuster moves -- everyone knows that, too.

You can reach Staff Columnist Lowell Cohn at 521-5486 or lowell.cohn@pressdemocrat.com.