Posted: Sun May 13, 2018 5:57 pm Post subject: Jerry West and the Clippers
Quote:
Going through with the trade would essentially be admitting that re-signing Griffin was a mistake, an ill-conceived attempt to cling to relevance and respectability after losing Paul.
Do it anyway, West urged.
The Clippers had gone to great lengths just six months earlier to persuade Griffin to stay in free agency, staging a mock jersey retirement ceremony in which Griffin was proclaimed to be “a lifelong Clipper” as part of their recruiting pitch. Trading him so soon after that, for all the financial flexibility it could restore, would also paint the Clippers as heartless.
“Don’t be afraid to make that tough decision if you need to,” Ballmer recalled West telling him.
“No one wants to do that, particularly with someone like Blake Griffin,” West says now. “It was very difficult for everyone, especially Steve, because he really liked Blake personally. But this franchise was really stuck. There was nowhere for it to go. You have to figure out how far away you really are and how we can get there.”
If that view makes West cold, too, he is prepared to absorb the criticism, responding with one of his pet phrases: “What is right is not always popular, and what is popular is not always right.”
Quote:
For much of his Golden State stint, although it was never advertised, West was the highest-paid member of the basketball operations staff. But Myers, who joined the front office with West’s strong backing in April 2011, was promoted to general manager after a one-season apprenticeship and quickly established himself; he earned N.B.A. Executive of the Year honors twice (to match West’s career total) in a five-season span.
The longtime Sports Illustrated writer Jack McCallum reported in his 2017 book “Golden Days” that West, partly because of Myers’ rise in stature, was asked to take a reduction in compensation to stay.
But money was only one factor in West’s exit. No matter how hard Warriors officials tried to convince him, publicly and privately, that his input remained vital to their collaborative approach to decision-making, West felt his influence was fading.
“You have to be wanted,” West said.
Quote:
Said West: “Leaving the Warriors was probably the most difficult thing for me in my whole life. I didn’t want to leave. You get to the point where maybe you don’t feel as valued, but it’s just something that happened. I hold no malice toward anyone over there.
“It did not end the way I wanted it to, that’s for sure. But this is a perfect role for me. People ask me my opinion, and I’m going to give it to them.”
(bleep) you magic. He came to you first and you said no. Now we have to live with the fact a laker legend is with the most despised franchise in the western conference. Really magic? Do you think your level of expertise in operations compares to 40 years of Jerry west. Not only you said no but your ego pissed him off so much that he went to the clippers
Seriously
(bleep) you magic. You better hope the lakers get some good players and start winning real soon
(bleep) you magic. He came to you first and you said no. Now we have to live with the fact a laker legend is with the most despised franchise in the western conference. Really magic? Do you think your level of expertise in operations compares to 40 years of Jerry west. Not only you said no but your ego pissed him off so much that he went to the clippers
Seriously
(bleep) you magic. You better hope the lakers get some good players and start winning real soon
It was a horrible move to let him get away. He could've easily had the same role -- "people ask me my opinion, I give it to them" -- here with this regime.
Joined: 03 Oct 2003 Posts: 8327 Location: Santa Monica
Posted: Tue May 15, 2018 12:17 am Post subject:
Magic put a lot of pressure on himself by not bringing back the logo. He should've at least kept Mitch Kupchak in a senior adviser role. _________________ Lakers 49ers Chargers Dodgers
Joined: 02 Jun 2009 Posts: 2415 Location: Far from home
Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2018 9:47 am Post subject:
Jerry West is a bit of an enigma, truth be told. He's basketball-sharp, energetic, and driven, but he is also hyper-sensitive, thin-skinned, fairly insecure, and impossible to make himself happy. He's never been happy with his post-playing situ - ever. He seems incapable of happiness. My brother has played golf with Jerry many times, and the man implodes mid-round every outing emotionally, despite carrying a 5 handicap in his late seventies.
I think JW left here and left every job since because he perceived being slighted as a consultant, and he just can't tolerate that. Good luck with that attitude. Collaboration is the heart of team management; West is the anti-collaborator, he must have total control. I love Jerry West as a Laker player and Laker GM, but the man cannot observe someone else having influence over him and be well with it. _________________ “These GOAT discussions are fun distractions while sitting around waiting for the pizza to be served.”
West would have been awesome in a consigliore role. Pretty crazy that the Warriors ended up driving him away a bit.
Wonder how much $ he wanted and what role.
The job was done, there was nothing for him to accomplish on the Warriors. Now the Clippers were a disaster and it seems with the West family in charge, they seem to be finally making some right moves.
West would have been awesome in a consigliore role. Pretty crazy that the Warriors ended up driving him away a bit.
Wonder how much $ he wanted and what role.
The job was done, there was nothing for him to accomplish on the Warriors. Now the Clippers were a disaster and it seems with the West family in charge, they seem to be finally making some right moves.
Guarantee you they offered the most $ too. _________________ From 2-10 to the Western Conference Finals
Clips have a team (w/exception of SGA) chock full of veteran role players. They are playing well right now but in the playoffs, the lack of a bona fide star will catch up. _________________ From 2-10 to the Western Conference Finals
Jerry West is a bit of an enigma, truth be told. He's basketball-sharp, energetic, and driven, but he is also hyper-sensitive, thin-skinned, fairly insecure, and impossible to make himself happy. He's never been happy with his post-playing situ - ever. He seems incapable of happiness. My brother has played golf with Jerry many times, and the man implodes mid-round every outing emotionally, despite carrying a 5 handicap in his late seventies.
I think JW left here and left every job since because he perceived being slighted as a consultant, and he just can't tolerate that. Good luck with that attitude. Collaboration is the heart of team management; West is the anti-collaborator, he must have total control. I love Jerry West as a Laker player and Laker GM, but the man cannot observe someone else having influence over him and be well with it.
I know he doesn’t have a relationship with the two sons he had in his first marriage. Which is odd because they’re both a couple of good kids. I know one is a lawyer in the valley. Kind of sad.
Clips have a team (w/exception of SGA) chock full of veteran role players. They are playing well right now but in the playoffs, the lack of a bona fide star will catch up.
A lot of the wins this season so far are because of Harris and Lou Williams. Neither will likely be their next season.
Clips have a team (w/exception of SGA) chock full of veteran role players. They are playing well right now but in the playoffs, the lack of a bona fide star will catch up.
Clips have a team (w/exception of SGA) chock full of veteran role players. They are playing well right now but in the playoffs, the lack of a bona fide star will catch up.
My thoughts as well. They have no go-to guy
I see that as well. They can still get a high seed assuming they stay healthy. They weren't healthy last year and had a ton of roster turnover but still made it interesting at the end. So its not a huge surprise what they are doing right now. They could be as high as a 2nd seed imo. They play like the 2013 Nuggets. Basically have a bench as good as the starting lineup. No stars but a ton of tough minded solid players. Funny enough one guy from that team is on the Clips (Gallo) and Harrell reminds me of a young Faried (what happened to that guy). I also don't think teams take the Clippers seriously right now. That could change as the season goes along. They may get exposed in the playoffs like the Nuggets in 2013 when they were upset by the Warriors
Clips have a team (w/exception of SGA) chock full of veteran role players. They are playing well right now but in the playoffs, the lack of a bona fide star will catch up.
My thoughts as well. They have no go-to guy
I see that as well. They can still get a high seed assuming they stay healthy. They weren't healthy last year and had a ton of roster turnover but still made it interesting at the end. So its not a huge surprise what they are doing right now. They could be as high as a 2nd seed imo. They play like the 2013 Nuggets. Basically have a bench as good as the starting lineup. No stars but a ton of tough minded solid players. Funny enough one guy from that team is on the Clips (Gallo) and Harrell reminds me of a young Faried (what happened to that guy). I also don't think teams take the Clippers seriously right now. That could change as the season goes along. They may get exposed in the playoffs like the Nuggets in 2013 when they were upset by the Warriors
Particularly with Lou Will, his insane free throw drawing rates decrease in the playoffs and he's a major liability on defense.
Going back to West, I think it was a pretty cold move to recruit Blake and then ship him off the moment he was a FA. But that's why it's sometimes good to have a voice that isn't homegrown and attached to players. West made the right call in that respect. _________________ From 2-10 to the Western Conference Finals
Joined: 02 Jun 2009 Posts: 2415 Location: Far from home
Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2018 6:09 pm Post subject:
Do it Mitch! wrote:
Wilkes52 wrote:
Jerry West is a bit of an enigma, truth be told. He's basketball-sharp, energetic, and driven, but he is also hyper-sensitive, thin-skinned, fairly insecure, and impossible to make himself happy. He's never been happy with his post-playing situ - ever. He seems incapable of happiness. My brother has played golf with Jerry many times, and the man implodes mid-round every outing emotionally, despite carrying a 5 handicap in his late seventies.
I think JW left here and left every job since because he perceived being slighted as a consultant, and he just can't tolerate that. Good luck with that attitude. Collaboration is the heart of team management; West is the anti-collaborator, he must have total control. I love Jerry West as a Laker player and Laker GM, but the man cannot observe someone else having influence over him and be well with it.
I know he doesn’t have a relationship with the two sons he had in his first marriage. Which is odd because they’re both a couple of good kids. I know one is a lawyer in the valley. Kind of sad.
The popular theory about Jerry's demons begins with Jerry's home life as a child, in the home of an alcoholic father who beat the kids and Mother, and who yelled a lot. Jerry lost a brother at a young age. Jerry himself drinks a lot. Demons hound him, he told the press one time. Here's a peek at him in an interview.
_________________ “These GOAT discussions are fun distractions while sitting around waiting for the pizza to be served.”
Clips have a team (w/exception of SGA) chock full of veteran role players. They are playing well right now but in the playoffs, the lack of a bona fide star will catch up.
Well considering everyone considered them a lottery team, they are playing with house money right now. Who knows maybe they can play spoiler and beat somebody in the 1st round if they make the playoffs.
Joined: 14 Apr 2001 Posts: 144461 Location: The Gold Coast
Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2018 9:17 pm Post subject:
yinoma2001 wrote:
lakersken80 wrote:
yinoma2001 wrote:
West would have been awesome in a consigliore role. Pretty crazy that the Warriors ended up driving him away a bit.
Wonder how much $ he wanted and what role.
The job was done, there was nothing for him to accomplish on the Warriors. Now the Clippers were a disaster and it seems with the West family in charge, they seem to be finally making some right moves.
Guarantee you they offered the most $ too.
Ballmer isn’t stupid _________________ RIP mom. 11-21-1933 to 6-14-2023.
Joined: 14 Apr 2001 Posts: 144461 Location: The Gold Coast
Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2018 9:20 pm Post subject:
Do it Mitch! wrote:
yinoma2001 wrote:
Clips have a team (w/exception of SGA) chock full of veteran role players. They are playing well right now but in the playoffs, the lack of a bona fide star will catch up.
A lot of the wins this season so far are because of Harris and Lou Williams. Neither will likely be their next season.
The question is, who will they be replaced with? _________________ RIP mom. 11-21-1933 to 6-14-2023.
Clips have a team (w/exception of SGA) chock full of veteran role players. They are playing well right now but in the playoffs, the lack of a bona fide star will catch up.
A lot of the wins this season so far are because of Harris and Lou Williams. Neither will likely be their next season.
The question is, who will they be replaced with?
Some players good enough to keep them on the treadmill of mediocrity most likely.
Joined: 10 Jul 2009 Posts: 12161 Location: Bay Area
Posted: Wed Nov 28, 2018 11:02 am Post subject:
Wilkes52 wrote:
Jerry West is a bit of an enigma, truth be told. He's basketball-sharp, energetic, and driven, but he is also hyper-sensitive, thin-skinned, fairly insecure, and impossible to make himself happy. He's never been happy with his post-playing situ - ever. He seems incapable of happiness. My brother has played golf with Jerry many times, and the man implodes mid-round every outing emotionally, despite carrying a 5 handicap in his late seventies.
I think JW left here and left every job since because he perceived being slighted as a consultant, and he just can't tolerate that. Good luck with that attitude. Collaboration is the heart of team management; West is the anti-collaborator, he must have total control. I love Jerry West as a Laker player and Laker GM, but the man cannot observe someone else having influence over him and be well with it.
Great post. Would love to hear some stories from your brother, if you/he don't mind sharing. Sounds like he's golfed with some very interesting people!
Clips have a team (w/exception of SGA) chock full of veteran role players. They are playing well right now but in the playoffs, the lack of a bona fide star will catch up.
A lot of the wins this season so far are because of Harris and Lou Williams. Neither will likely be their next season.
The question is, who will they be replaced with?
Some players good enough to keep them on the treadmill of mediocrity most likely.
They seem to be better than mediocre right now though.
The plan seems to have been to create cap space for next year, and they somehow put together a team that's winning instead of tanking. Ballmer knew that doing a "Process" like the Sixers would be death for that franchise in LA, so he prioritized a winning product. Whether or not it'll be good enough to lure a star free agent, we'll have to see.
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