Stephen Curry, Monta Ellis, Dorell Wright, David Lee and Andris Biedrins will be Golden State's starters to begin the 10-11 season.

Keith Smart confirmed those names after Wednesday's morning session.

The Golden State Warriors announced today that the team has exercised the third-year contract option on guard Stephen Curry, which is for the 2011-12 NBA season.

Curry, 22, appeared in 80 games last season, averaging 17.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.90 steals in 36.2 minutes per contest.

The Golden State Warriors announced today that Don Nelson has relinquished his head coaching duties and that Assistant Coach Keith Smart has been named his successor.  

Smart, 46, will become the 23rd head coach in franchise history and the 18th since the team moved to the West Coast prior to the 1962-63 season.

?We feel that Keith Smart is ready for this challenge as we embark on a new season,? said General Manager Larry Riley.  ?He has a wealth of experience as a player and coach in this game and has been fortunate to be around some of the best minds in the business, including Don Nelson at the NBA level and Bobby Knight in college. He?s an outstanding communicator, has a vast knowledge of the game and I?m confident that he is the right person for the job. Additionally, he has previous head coaching experience in the NBA, including several games during Nellie?s absence last season, and in the CBA.   In regard to Nellie, we simply felt it was the right time to make a change.  He?s been a terrific coach for over three decades and has left a lasting legacy in this league as the winningest coach in the history of the NBA.?

Two insiders say that the Warriors are willing to make a trade for Carmelo Anthony without him agreeing to sign an extension with the team.

The Nuggets reportedly have heavy interest in Stephen Curry, but the Warriors would be strongly opposed to parting with the Rookie of the Year runner-up.

With Keith Smart replacing Don Nelson as head coach of the Warriors, defense is expected to play a more significant role in their team philosophy.

"Keith Smart is definitely defensive-minded," Stephen Curry said. "I know a lot of teams preach defense in the offseason, especially teams coming off a bad season. But (defense) will probably play a little bigger role now."

"It's crazy to me," Reggie Williams said. "I came in under Nelson. I just don't know what to say. It hit me by surprise. I'm just so happy to be a part of (Nelson's all-time NBA wins record)."

Keith Smart will replace Don Nelson as head coach of the Warriors on Monday.

Smart is negotiating a multi-year contract with the Warriors, a source said.

Don Nelson's decision to step down as head coach of the Warriors was amicable, according to sources.

"I don't think the new owner liked Nelson's style of coaching. That's what it boils down to," a source with knowledge of the situation told Y! Sports? Marc Spears. "They're saying he quit, but (new owner Joe) Lacob wanted to go in a different direction."

Nelson and Warriors general manager Larry Riley didn?t return phone calls seeking comment.

Nelson will receive a $6 million settlement.

Citing two sources, CSNBayArea.com reports that Don Nelson is set to step down as head coach of the Warriors.

Keith Smart, a longtime assistant coach in Golden State, will take over for Nelson.

Nelson was in his second stint with the Warriors, one that peaked with an appearance in the 2007 NBA Playoffs.

Monta Ellis welcomed rookie Stephen Curry to the Warriors last season with comments suggesting that they would be unsuccessful playing at the same time.

"A month before the season was over with, I really had to sit back and blame myself in a sense because I'm that leader; I'm that one who everybody feeds off of," Ellis said. "Everything that went on last year (regarding Curry) shouldn't have gone on. I blame myself."

Ellis said he made amends with Curry this summer. Curry attend the wedding of Ellis in July, while the only other current teammate present was Devean George.

"When I made that comment, I wasn't knocking him," Ellis said. "I wasn't bashing him. It was based off of what me and the Warriors were going through at the time. It had nothing to do with him.

The Golden State Warriors have signed free agent forward Louis Amundson to a contract, the team announced today.  Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not released.

Amundson, 27, appeared in 79 regular-season games last season for the Phoenix Suns, averaging 4.7 points and 4.4 rebounds in 14.8 minutes per contest - all of which were career bests.  A key member of the Suns rotation who came off the bench in all 79 games, Amundson played 20-or-more minutes in 14 regular-season games last year, averaging 9.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.14 blocks and 22.1 minutes in those contests.