Warriors draft defensive-minded big man with sixth pick

OAKLAND -- The Golden State Warriors didn't go into this NBA draft with the intent of finding someone who fits perfectly into coach Don Nelson's up-tempo system. Yet by choosing Baylor power forward Ekpe Udoh with the No. 6 pick Thursday night, they acquired an athletic player who gives Golden State the flexibility to go small and even without a center at times. And some maturity to boot. Not only is Udoh a capable defender, rebounder and shot-blocker and someone general manager Larry Riley described as having "an NBA-ready game," he earned bigtime brownie points for wearing a suit for his formal meeting with the Warriors brass. "He was emphatic that he wants to be here," Riley said. Although Nelson loves a guard-oriented lineup, the Warriors are thinking about their long-term future beyond Nellie's tenure. He is entering the final season of his contract having become the NBA's all-time winningest coach last season ahead of Lenny Wilkens. Golden State hopes Udoh will mesh nicely with rising star point guard Stephen Curry, runner-up to Tyreke Evans for Rookie of the Year last season. Riley did well in taking Curry with the team's top pick last year. He exceeded expectations as a rookie, when he averaged 17.5 points, 5.9 assists and 4.5 rebounds. Udoh is much more of an unknown. It's unclear how much he will contribute right away on a roster that already features a pair of young power forwards in Anthony Randolph and Brandan Wright. Riley still believes the Warriors can build around Randolph. Udoh insists he's ready to embrace any role, and he will get his chance during summer league to show how he stacks up against the other two. "Oh man, I can't wait to get out there tomorrow," said Udoh, set to be formally introduced Friday. "I'm just ready to work. ... I was shaking the whole day. I knew the Warriors were interested. It's a great opportunity. The fans are ridiculous. They've averaged 18,000 the last five years." Riley is all about bringing the best athletes to the Warriors, often repeating his motto of "stockpiling talent" to rebuild a franchise that has missed the playoffs in all but one year since 1994. Golden State reached the second round in a remarkable 2007 postseason run. Still, this franchise is in a strange spot. Longtime owner Chris Cohan announced in March he was putting the team up for sale, but there's been little known movement on that front yet -- and it could take a while. That leaves Riley to run the Warriors the way he sees fit for now, knowing full well things could drastically change as soon as a new ownership group is in place. While Nelson was in the war room for Golden State's selection, Riley -- a former Nellie assistant -- is taking a bigger leadership role in decision-making and acknowledged Nelson has less input these days. Nelson spends much of the offseason at his Hawaiian home on Maui but keeps in regular contact with Riley about operating the team. The Warriors already traded Corey Maggette and a second-round pick to Milwaukee earlier in the week in a deal that brought guard Charlie Bell and center Dan Gadzuric to the Bay Area. Although Riley acknowledged the Warriors might still attempt to trade the two big contracts of guard Monta Ellis and center Andris Biedrins, he would be adamant on the Warriors getting a significant player in return. Ellis signed a lucrative $66 million, six-year deal after he averaged a career-best 20.2 points during the 2007-08 season and is due $11 million next season. Biedrins is set to earn approximately $9 million from the six-year deal worth more than $62 million that he signed in July 2008. So, it should be an interesting summer. "If I can't get something of value that relates to what we're doing, then I'm not having a firesale on people who just happen to have big contracts," said Riley, who had a long conversation with Ellis earlier Thursday. "I did not place one call during this draft in an attempt to push anybody out the door. I'm looking to do basketball deals. ... When there's a firesale it means you're just willing to flush everything out. We're not doing that."