Golden State in holding pattern with Arenas

By GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) Just when Garry St. Jean thought he had encountered every draft-day dilemma, here comes another one: He must make Golden State's choice in the upcoming draft without knowing the Warriors' biggest need.

The Warriors have the 11th pick in next Thursday's draft, and the improving young team has few holes but much of Golden State's future hinges on Gilbert Arenas, who could choose to leave the team this summer for more money elsewhere.

If Arenas leaves, the Warriors will need a new point guard, but they're unlikely to find an immediate starter in this draft. If Arenas stays, the Warriors could use depth in the frontcourt but St. Jean, the Warriors' general manager, won't know Arenas' decision until several weeks after the draft.

``We're not in an ideal situation, you could put it that way,'' St. Jean said Thursday. ``I think he enjoys playing here. He loves the Bay Area. He's a California guy, but there's a lot of other factors that are going to weigh, too.

``We're cautiously optimistic that he'll be here. We're going to go into this draft with our game plan intact.''

St. Jean has dealt with plenty of high draft picks during a long NBA career in Milwaukee, Sacramento and Golden State. After the Warriors' best finish since 1996, he knows the draft-day stakes aren't as high as in past years. Instead, Arenas' decision will be the biggest event of the offseason.

Arenas, winner of the NBA's Most Improved Player award, won't be a free agent until July 1, and he can't sign with another team until mid-July. Because Arenas was a second-round draft pick, the Warriors can't offer him more than the midlevel salary cap exception of about $4.6 million.

Several other teams Denver most prominent among them can offer Arenas more money. But not many can offer the chance to be a part of a team with as much promise as the Warriors, who improved dramatically last season despite missing the playoffs for the ninth straight time.

Arenas, who's playing in a San Francisco-based pro-am league this week, repeatedly has said he won't rush his decision. He has spent most of the summer in the Bay area, playing pickup games in the Oakland hills and working out.

``He's a cornerstone,'' St. Jean said. ``That's how much I think of his future.''

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^WELSCH WORKS OUT:@ Jiri Welsch is back in his native Czech Republic this week, but it's just about the only rest he has taken this summer.

Welsch, who barely played during his rookie season with the Warriors, has been extraordinarily dedicated to an offseason workout program.

``He took about two or three days off (after the season),'' St. Jean said. ``He's been in here every day with the coaches. That guy is very determined. He wants to be on that floor.''

Welsch, acquired from Philadelphia in a draft-day deal last summer, has added 15 pounds to his 6-foot-7 frame by weightlifting. He and fellow 2002 draftee Mike Dunleavy, another dedicated offseason worker, will be the main focus of the Warriors' summer league team in Long Beach, Calif.

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^LOGAN SIGHTINGS?: Steve Logan might end up in a Golden State uniform after all.

Logan, the Warriors' second-round draft pick last season, could be ready to play for Golden State's summer league team, St. Jean said.

Logan was the 30th overall pick last summer, but he never played for the Warriors. The former Cincinnati guard spent the season out of basketball after refusing to sign and giving strange and murky reasons for his decision.

But since Logan signed a contract to play in the NBDL the NBA's top development league he's ineligible to return to the draft. He has been working out in the Bay area in an attempt to regain his playing form.

If he's successful, St. Jean might invite him to the summer league.

``When it's right, we'll take a look,'' St. Jean said. ``When he's got himself in condition that he thinks he merits us taking a looks at him, we'll go over and see him.''

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)