WARRIORS NOTEBOOK
Nelson has new faith in Pietrus
Janny Hu, Chronicle Staff Writer
Thursday, October 5, 2006


Plenty of minutes were available for Mickael Pietrus in 2005-06 with
Mike Dunleavy enduring a nightmare season. Problem was, Pietrus was
just as bad as, if not worse than, his beleaguered teammate.

Warriors coach Don Nelson watched Pietrus struggle from afar. Nelson
saw enough of an undisciplined athlete who "wasn't playing very much or
very well," that he admits questioning whether Pietrus would fit into
his system.

Two days into training camp, he has his answer.

"He's going to play for me," Nelson said emphatically after practice
Wednesday. "He's really impressed me. He's doing what the coaches ask
him to do. He's not trying to play beyond what I see him doing.

"He's been the perfect student so far."

That's no small praise for Pietrus, whose first three seasons have been
marked by injury and erratic play. He began as a defensive standout
before getting sidetracked by his desire to be a scorer. The maddening
result was an inferior defender and an offensive player who seemed to
accrue more turnovers than field goals.

Pietrus can ill afford more of the same entering his contract year. The
Warriors have until Oct. 31 to extend his rookie deal, and if a new
agreement is not reached, he will become a restricted free agent at
season's end.

How he plays within Nelson's system, therefore, not only determines his
future with Golden State, but his demand around the league.

Nelson isn't worried. He says Pietrus will see time alongside Baron
Davis and Jason Richardson in the Warriors' lineup of interchangeable
guards -- more if Pietrus can resist bad habits from season's past.

According to Pietrus, that includes shooting too many three-pointers
and not getting enough rebounds or free-throw attempts. And so far,
he's on the path to correction.

"It's not what he's showing me can do," Nelson said. "It's what he's
showing me he's not going to do anymore."

Pietrus said he would not be disappointed if a new deal failed to
materialize before the season. Vice president Chris Mullin said there
have been no substantial conversations with Pietrus' representatives
and an extension seems unlikely.

The Warriors needed to cut Devin Brown simply to stay under the
luxury-tax level, and signing Pietrus now would force them to move
significant salary before next season to stay under the tax again.

"I'm not thinking about that at all," Pietrus said of his contract
status. "I'll just let my agent take care of that and whatever happens,
happens. As far as I know, I'm a Warrior and I'm happy to be a
Warrior."

Briefly: Rookie Patrick O'Bryant was as surprised as anyone when he was
cleared by doctors to resume non-contact drills Wednesday. O'Bryant,
who fractured his foot Aug. 28, ran through the Warriors' morning
session and hopes to participate in evening scrimmaging in a few days.
.... The first injury of training camp went to assistant coach Russell
Turner, who accidentally knocked heads with Dunleavy and was sporting a
large bandage above his left eye. Joked Nelson: "Actually, I did that
in the coaches' meeting. He'd been forgetting a couple of plays."

E-mail Janny Hu at jhu@sfchronicle.com.

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