National Basketball Association

Coaches work to form cohesive team

Published Oct. 10, 2010 10:09 p.m. ET

foxsports

About an hour after the players had departed from practice and most of the Warriors' business offices had gone silent last week, there was still a quiet buzz on the middle court of the team's Oakland facility.

The six-man coaching staff remained, talking and walking their ways through every minute detail of an offensive set that would be installed the next day.

"We're going to be a hardworking staff; I can guarantee you that," assistant coach Rob Werdann said.

"We don't tell them they have to be here all hours, but they want to be here," head coach Keith Smart said.

The newly created Warriors staff members have rooms at the downtown Marriott, making short elevator commutes to the team's gym. They are logging a number of days that start at 7 a.m. and end at 9 p.m.

It's part necessity and part obsession.

Smart was officially named coach the day before training camp opened; assistants Jerry Sichting, Werdann and Mark Price took their new positions the same day; and returning staff members Stephen Silas and Calbert Cheaney each got new roles at the last minute.

Six voices have to become one without much rehearsal.

"What makes a staff really good is a friendship," Silas said. "These guys are great, but it's hard to be automatic friends. It's going to take some time. Right now, we're working, plowing through stuff and bouncing ideas off each other.

"It's been great, but we've got to grow that camaraderie to where it becomes easy."

The staff meets an hour and 15 minutes before every practice, providing a little time to discuss personal matters before hitting basketball matters. Bonds come a little easier because they're equally yoked, and playful banter has already become common.

"My only trepidation is working with two guys Smart and Cheaney from Indiana," said Sichting, who played at Purdue. "I've worked with guys from IU before, but I've never been double-teamed like this."

Sichting played 10 seasons in the NBA, including a 1986 banner year with Boston, and has worked for Minnesota for 13 of the past 14 seasons. He was the Timberwolves' director of player personnel last season, jumped at the chance to return to the bench and will be asked to help infuse a defensive culture in Golden State.

Silas is entering his fifth season with the Warriors and will be Smart's right-hand man, a role Silas played for his father - former NBA coach and player Paul Silas - in Cleveland, New Orleans and Charlotte. Already, Silas has surprised Smart with having video cut and cued to show certain teaching points - a task Smart used to perform for Don Nelson.

"I'm honored to be the guy Keith leans on," Silas said. "He's a guy I'm really pulling for and will go the extra mile for."

Werdann spent the last six seasons as a New Orleans assistant coach. At 6-foot-11 and with three seasons of NBA playing experience, he provides a first-hand touch in his preaching to the Warriors' front line.

"This is the most unique set of bigs I've ever been around," Werdann said. "With their athleticism, basketball IQ and ability to run the floor, I think I can really help them set themselves apart."

Cheaney worked in the front office with player development and evaluation and will keep some of those roles, but on the court, he can build stronger connections with the players. He played 13 NBA seasons, including teaming with Monta Ellis and Andris Biedrins for Golden State.

"If guys want to get some extra work, I don't care if it's 11 or midnight, they know I'm a phone call away," Cheaney said. "If they want to take those steps to getting better, I'm there."

Silas joked that he went from first to worst shooter on the staff with the best stroke probably going to Price, who will be the team's shooting coach and will fill a number of roving front-office roles.

"Defining my role is going to be a process, because my position is kind of a hybrid," Price said. "Right now, we haven't lost a game yet, so everyone is positive. Plus, we feel really good about the changes we've made."

Part of the positivity comes from the freedom that Smart affords his assistants. At the end of practice last week, he split the players into three groups and allowed three assistants each to head up a drill. He also turned over a defensive drill to the teachings of small forward Dorell Wright.

"He wants input from his coaching staff, and it's not like that in every other place," Werdann said. "One voice gets old after a while, so we're trying to set that tone that players can come to the assistants with concerns.

"A lot of head coaches are nervous about giving assistants too much say, but Keith has been great about it."

Even though that means logging overtime.

Who: Kings vs. Warriors

Where: Oracle Arena

When: 7 p.m.

TV/Radio: None