From the SF Chronicle’s Janny Hu :

In a bold and surprising attempt to end 12 years of playoff futility, the Warriors severed ties with Mike Montgomery this week and will replace him with former coach Don Nelson (above), the Chronicle has learned. The team announced Tuesday morning that it had parted ways with Montgomery, the former Stanford coach who compiled a 68-96 record in two seasons with Golden State. The team will introduce Nelson as its new coach at a public event Wednesday night at the Arena.

Several members of the coaching staff admitted unease this summer as they awaited a possible shakeup. Two league sources also said that Mullin recommended Montgomery be fired after the regular season but was overruled by ownership.

It’s unclear what prompted the reversal of opinion. According to one of the sources, the Warriors waited until Montgomery returned from vacation to negotiate a buyout. He was in Las Vegas last week working in Michael Jordan’s annual basketball camp.

That the Warriors are switching coaches perhaps isn’t as surprising as the identity of their incoming coach. Nelson was sued by Warriors owner Chris Cohan when he resurfaced with the Knicks for the 1995-96 season. While Nelson’s stop in New York lasted less than a year, his litigation with Cohan dragged on until 1999.

Surely I’m not the only person who’d love to see C-Webb as a mid-season addition to Nellie’s coaching staff? Seriously, if Nelson can return to the Bay Area, who’s to say Spree can’t be lured out of retirement, too?