Golden State Warriors news, Jan. 4

(01-05) 04:00 PST NEW ORLEANS - --

A day before the Warriors are expected to have their entire roster healthy and available for the first time all season, head athletic trainer Tom Abdenour on Tuesday announced that he is leaving to take a similar position at San Diego State.

Abdenour, 56, is in his 24th season with the Warriors and said he will stay with the team until it finds a replacement. He was hired before the 1987-88 season and has been inducted into the National Athletic Trainers' Association Hall of Fame.

"As one of the longest-tenured athletic trainers in the NBA, Tom's dedication, passion and commitment to his profession has been widely recognized on many levels," general manager Larry Riley said. "He's been an exemplary employee."

Recently, Abdenour has come under criticism from fans because of the Warriors' cyclical injury problems. When co-owner Joe Lacob and Peter Guber secured a purchase agreement to buy the Warriors in July, more readers e-mailed about firing Abdenour than about coach Don Nelson.

Power forward David Lee (back) and center Andris Biedrins (ankle) both participated in Tuesday's practice and could return to the court for tonight's game at New Orleans. Six players, including Lee and Biedrins, have missed at least five games because of injury this season, but that's nothing compared with the last two seasons.

The Warriors had players miss more games because of injury than any other team last season, and the 501 missed games marked the second-most of any team since the NBA began tracking the statistic in 1986-87. Toronto players missed 519 games in 2002-03.

On average, the Warriors were without 6.1 players a game last season and suited up nine or fewer healthy players for 60 percent of their games. Ten players missed 15 or more games. The Warriors were riddled with so many injuries between the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons that they used 96 unique starting lineups in 164 games.

"It's been a marvelous ride. It's been a great run," Abdenour said. "You kidding? Being in the most famous arenas in the world. Working with some of the most elite athletes in the world, be it on our side or from my appearances in the All-Star Game or the Olympic movement.

"It's about the people. Wins and losses are fine, but it's about the people."

Carney waived: Reserve forward Rodney Carney was waived Tuesday, six days before his contract of $916,000 would have become guaranteed for the season. The fifth-year player, who hadn't played more than 10 minutes in any of the past five games, averaged five points and 1.9 rebounds in 13.2 minutes a game.

This article appeared on page B - 7 of the San Francisco Chronicle