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Golden State Warriors’ Coach Don Nelson confirmed that he has spoken to Jamal Crawford and advised him to opt out of his contract or be traded.
“We did meet. I did tell him,” Nelson said. “I’ve always been very open and honest with my players and I did tell him he probably would either opt out or we would move him next year. That’s a fact and I just don’t see that that’s going to work.”
“I’m loaded in the backcourt,” Nelson continued. “If I’m going to move (Stephen) Jackson into the backcourt, now I’m really overloaded. I think he’s too good a player to be a 10- or 15-minute player, as a backup player. Wherever ‘Jack’ plays, there’s not many minutes left. Wherever (guard) Monta (Ellis) plays when he’s healthy, there won’t be very many minutes left. Those positions should be backed up by somebody making less than eight or nine — or whatever his contract is — million dollars a year.
“So he makes too much money as a backup player,” Nelson added. “So being open and honest with my player, I don’t know if it’s criticism or what but that’s the way it is. I’m that way with all my players all the time. I get criticized sometimes for it. So be it.”
Crawford has a two year deal paying him $9.36 million and $10.08 in the next two seasons, but he can walk away from it if he decides to opt out.
Crawford declined to comment on Nelson’s explanation, except to say, “I’m not getting into it.”
