Nearly a week after his opt-out-or-else tete-a-tete with Jamal Crawford became public, Warriors coach Don Nelson finally came clean over the details of their conversation.

"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," Nelson said Wednesday, two days after refusing to go into specifics.

"That's a fact and I just don't see that that's going to work. I'm loaded in the backcourt. 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."

The Warriors acquired Crawford for Al Harrington in November, intending to pair Crawford with Monta Ellis as their backcourt of the future. Nelson said in no uncertain terms Wednesday that there was no room for the 29-year-old, who has started every game he has played for Golden State.

"Wherever Jack plays, there's not many minutes left. Wherever Monta plays when he's healthy, there won't be very many minutes left," Nelson said. "Those positions should be backed up by somebody making less than 8 or 9 - or whatever his contract is - million dollars a year. So he makes too much money as a backup player."

It inevitably sets up an uncomfortable situation for Crawford, who has maintained he won't make a decision until after the season, and Nelson, who repeatedly has said that he has no interest in having increased say over personnel.

Crawford has two years at nearly $20 million left on his deal, but would be looking at a tough free-agent market if he opted out. It's likely that teams would be offering only the mid-level exception, which is expected to decrease from this season's $5.85 million.

Nellie needs to retire. Craw isn't the best guard in the nba, but when you publicly dump on one of your own players who plays hard, no one's going to want to play for you.

Right down there with Isiah Layden's Knicks.