Ailene Voisin: Now that they're older, Webber-Nelson just might be better

The relationship between Don Nelson and Chris Webber originally lasted less than a year, resulted with Webber traded and Nelson hospitalized, and damaged the Golden State Warriors franchise for the better part of a decade. So this is completely absurd. The tooth fairy will visit before this story ends happily.

That was my first thought.

That was my second and third thought.

But Nelson, who is older and wiser and not without regrets, needs to do this. The Webber matter has chewed at his gut worse than the beer and hot dogs he consumes at a record-setting pace. He will be fine with Webber.

The issue isn't Nelson. The issue is Webber. Webber's goals. Webber's thoughts. Webber's maturity. Webber's grasp on reality. Only to a lesser extent, what's left of Webber's game.

"I'm looking for Chris to be a player," Nelson said Monday from his cell phone, "and I'm not going to put limits on him. I only run a four-man break, and any of the guys who rebound, can run, so he can be the last guy down the court. His brains and his halfcourt skills are going to make us better. I know a lot of people don't think so, but we're going to get along just fine."

The skepticism greeting the Warriors' anticipated signing relates largely to Webber's more recent history in Washington, Sacramento, Philadelphia and Detroit. Making mistakes and feuding with coaches as a 20-year-old is one thing; repeating the mistakes and leaving other organizations on bad terms is another. And the Webber portfolio is divided into two segments, with his prodigious talents and accomplishments countered by his on- and off-court problems with the Wizards, Kings, 76ers and Pistons.

His hometown Pistons – the franchise Webber hoped to rejoin – reportedly declined because he complained about his limited role during the 2007 postseason, because he wasn't comfortable in an offense featuring guards Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton, and because he posed an ongoing threat to team chemistry.

The Miami Heat already has too many aging players with aching body parts. The undermanned Los Angeles Lakers, though eager to acquire frontcourt depth in light of Andrew Bynum's injury, offered Webber an audition and two 10-day tryouts. Assuming he could do better, he chose to sit and wait. And wait.

And guess who finally came courting?

Upon hearing that Webber was spending many of his evenings at his restaurant in Natomas, Nelson, acting strictly on impulse, drove to Sacramento on Jan. 8 in hopes of a chance encounter. "Chris wasn't there," Nelson said, "but I left him a letter and he got back to me. We've had several good conversations. We talked about everything. He said he was looking forward to coming back and moving beyond the past. I told him: 'Come on in here and let's have some fun. We didn't enjoy it the first time. Let's enjoy it the second time.' "

Webber's career highlights, in fact, were produced mostly here in Northern California. His 1993-94 Rookie of the Year season left Nelson and then-assistant Gregg Popovich envisioning a tremendous future for the Warriors. The Warriors of Webber, Latrell Sprewell and Chris Mullin offered a wildly entertaining prelude to the Kings' offensive splendor and staying power of a few years later, in the days before Webber shattered his knee against Nelson's Dallas Mavericks, of all teams.

Perhaps these two men are destined to try it again after all. Nelson certainly suspects so. Admittedly mellower at age 67, he has quietly pressed for a reconciliation for years, and believes a warming trend that began during the 2002 All-Star Game continued during the Kings-Mavericks series. Thus, when Baron Davis, Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes several weeks ago started pestering him to pursue Webber, 34, he began making inquiries and, he says, reflecting on his past.

"Nellie," of course, has always been a dreamer. He is one of those people who becomes restless amid the calm. He openly craves drama and celebrity, and later in the conversation added excitedly, "Wouldn't it be something if Chris was ready to go when we play the Kings next week (Feb. 9)?"

Webber, who reportedly signed a low-risk contract Monday for approximately $500,000, plans to spend the next several days training in Oakland with Warriors strength coach Mark Grabow. Nelson can't even say what condition Webber is in; he wants him sight unseen.

"I don't know if this will be enough to get us into the playoffs," he said, "but we had to do something. Why not give it a shot?"

Same old "Nellie." Same old Chris?

The drama resumes.

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• Call The Bee's Ailene Voisin, (916) 321-1208.