On Thursday, it was emotional point guard Monta Ellis (who had told reporters on the team’s media day that he didn’t see playing with Stephen Curry working out) clashing with Nelson in front of media members after practice in New York.

Ellis joins the list of players who are fed up with Nelson’s bizarre tactics, disdain for rookies and younger players, and inconsistent playing rotations. Many scouts say that Golden State has one of the more talented younger rosters in the league, but it is led by a coach who historically despises young players.

The Warriors keep drafting one-and-out players or high schoolers such as Ellis, Brandan Wright (out with a shoulder injury after a year in Nelson’s doghouse), and Anthony Randolph, a gifted player who is the victim of Nelson’s brutal mind games.

The situation has decayed to the point where Bay Area media are pointedly asking Nelson whether he wants to continue to coach.

There are perceptions that Nellie is hanging around for the money and to reach the all-time record for wins by a coach. (He trailed Lenny Wilkens by 21 heading into last night.) He denies that the record is that important to him.

“No, never has been,’’ he said. “It’s important to some of my friends, but individual goals have never been real important to me. I said a long time ago, I hope I never get it, because Lenny deserves it, to keep it forever.’’

Enigmatic forward Stephen Jackson, who has requested a trade, is another player who has had trouble with Nelson. During his first stint with Golden State, Nelson clashed with Chris Webber, leading to Webber’s trade to Washington, and shipped Mitch Richmond to Sacramento to allow Billy Owens a chance to shine. That didn’t work out well.

He spent one unforgettable season in New York, and had some productive years in Dallas until losing a long feud with Mark Cuban. In 2006, Cohan hired him to resuscitate a sagging franchise, and he did lead the Warriors to a playoff upset of the Mavericks in 2007. Since then, he has posted an 80-92 record, with no playoff appearances.

“I’m a little disappointed,’’ said Nelson, whose team started 2-5 this season, including three blowout losses. “But hopefully we can start playing a little bit better. Getting healthy, you know, that is important.

“We’re not a big team anyway. We have three of our big guys out. That is a factor. But that’s no excuse for playing the way we’ve been playing.’’

The question is whether Nelson can relate to today’s players, especially when he is at least 40 years older than most of them. Leading the Warriors back to respectability may not be within his reach. But the wins record, as much as some may cringe, is.

Celtics legend Tom Heinsohn, who played with and coached Nelson, said, “Players gripe all the time. They get paid big money and all of a sudden they want a ring and it’s somebody’s fault that they are not getting it. You got to talk to players. You can’t go get mad at them and say, ‘I hate them.’ You’ve got to deal with them.

“He’s always had exciting teams. I don’t know what his won-loss record is, but it’s pretty good. It speaks for itself.

“Name the great players that he’s had. He hasn’t had a lot of great players. [Today’s players] want to win. They’re competitive. You may have to deal with them a little different than Red Auerbach’s ‘do what I say or you are going to Minneapolis.’

“But if you get it together with the guy, it can work.’’

Maxwell explained why he has not shot back at Bird.

“In the court of public opinion, whatever Larry said about me, I can’t win that battle,’’ he said. “It’s like when I left here and Red Auerbach was saying things about me. I couldn’t win that battle. The only thing I can say is that I won two championships with [Bird] and he was a great teammate.

“He said we lost it because I didn’t play well? They had the Big Three. It wasn’t the Big 3 1/2. My numbers were real good numbers, and the fact was, I was just injured.’’

Maxwell said he spent most of 1984-85 with a bad left knee. When it became apparent the Celtics wanted him gone, he adjusted his contract so the club could facilitate a trade with the Clippers for an aging Bill Walton in September 1985.

“I had already outlived my purpose here,’’ said Maxwell, the 1981 NBA Finals MVP. “I had already done what I was going to do. At that point, Red wanted me to be gone. He publicly questioned me and I think the biggest thing that hurt was they questioned my integrity and said I didn’t work hard when I did. My knee just did not respond.’’

To ensure that a trade could be made, Maxwell said, he spent the entire summer of 1985 at a Marriott in Los Angeles, rehabilitating both knees.

Maxwell remains unsettled about his departure from Boston and the perception that he dogged it that final season.

“There are some things that still bother me about it,’’ said Maxwell, who played just 57 games in his final season as a Celtic. “Just my credibility, my integrity as a basketball player was questioned. ‘You signed the contract. You didn’t want to come back and play.’

“The bottom line is, my number is retired here. A lot of people think of me as a great player and so I am at peace with that. I played with Larry his first four or five years and we had a great tandem together. I don’t look at it as anything negative.’’

The recent banter with Bird began when Maxwell said he believed Kevin Garnett could be the second-best Celtic of all time (do I need to mention No. 1?). He stands by that statement.

“From an overall standpoint, I think he is,’’ Maxwell said. “Because Kevin is a better defender. Kevin has as many points as Larry; he was the MVP. But the biggest thing Larry had that Kevin didn’t have [for years] was a supporting cast. Larry Bird had an unbelievable supporting cast.

“Larry Bird was one of the greatest offensive players around, but Larry Bird was not a good defender. Let me make sure I say it again: Larry Bird was not a good defender.’’

“The option of waiting for next summer to be a free agent was totally speculative,’’ he said. “I don’t know what would happen next year.

“Here, I have a very good group of guys that I enjoy, [a chance] to overcome a disappointing year last year and turn things around. There’s a lot of reward in that. We may not be the most talented team in the league or favored to win a championship, but there is still a lot to play for.’’

The Suns have emerged as the league’s biggest surprise, winning at Miami, at Boston, at Washington, at Philadelphia, and starting 8-2. Nash amassed 49 assists over a four-game stretch and remains one of the league’s premier point guards. Phoenix is where he is comfortable.

“I think there’s this notion that the possibilities are endless [in 2010] but I am not sure that’s the case,’’ he said. “With the salary cap coming down and a lot of owners are tightening their budget, who knows who’s going to have space?

“I think it’s total speculation to give up an opportunity - to have this scenario where I really like my coaching staff, teammates, city, fans, and everything - and wait for next summer and see what happens.

“It will be good for some guys and not good for others. It won’t be some sort of carte blanche or fantasy draft.’’

Gary Washburn can be reached at washburn@globe.com; material from personal interviews, wire services, other beat writers, and league and team sources was used in this report.