When the Clippers snatched Jerry West to the Warriors in 2017 to make him Steve Ballmer's special advisor, some imagined him in a sort of pre-retirement. As he approached 80 years old, it was well deserved, and we saw in his arrival a simple way for the Clippers to offer themselves new legitimacy, while thumbing their nose at their lifelong frankness, the Lakers. A sort of luxury ambassador whose aura would attract some good free agents, while eclipsing Doc Rivers' field of action.
But the man who just passed away at 86 was a man of challenges, and he wanted full powers for the Clippers to get this cursed franchise off the ground. A huge task when you share the city with the Lakers. Result: he will bring back Paul George and Kawhi Leonard in the same summer, and history will remember that he died when the franchise moved to Inglewood.
GM of the Lakers during the “Show Time” era
As we know, it was first at the Lakers that Jerry West became a true legend, among the greatest players in history. First as a player despite his eight lost finals, then as a leader after a short stint as coach. And this from the 80s. His career finished, West climbed all the ranks at the Lakers, and he became GM in 1982. Before recruiting James Worthy then exchanging Norm Nixon for Byron Scott, everything almost started badly. A few years earlier, when he was just a member of the staff, he was reluctant to select Magic Johnson in the Draft. He prefers Sydney Moncrief. Fortunately, Jerry Buss does not follow his advice, and selects Magic…
“I first met Jerry West in 1979 at the Forum, where he introduced me to Bill Sharman, Chick Hearn and Jack Kent Cooke, then owner of the Lakers” Magic Johnson wrote on Wednesday. “My dad, my agent and I negotiated over lunch, then Jerry took me into the locker room to show me my Lakers jersey. I started crying and Jerry explained to me what he expected of me by wearing the gold and purple colors, how he saw my role and how he imagined me fitting into the franchise. I will never forget this moment. »
He ultimately remained GM until 1994, and his record was simply perfect with five titles! That year, he rose to prominence and became vice-president. He must manage the post-Magic and post-Worthy days, and he does it with mastery since he is outright elected Best Manager of the NBA! To his credit, the appointment of Del Harris, the selections of Anthony Peeler and Nick Van Exel and the arrival of Cedric Ceballos. Nothing flamboyant but it allows the team to finish the season with 48 victories.
He recovered Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal the same year
But the best is to come since he snatches Shaquille O'Neal from the Magic, and it is his speech that tips the scales: Hollywood is made for Shaq! Without forgetting of course, the arrival of Kobe Bryant recovered in exchange for Vlade Divac. The West magic worked again, and the Lakers will win three more titles with Phil Jackson, the former Bulls coach, at the helm.
Jerry West has the art of convincing the greatest and he manages to make the link between coaches and players who are completely opposed. In 2002, after the Lakers' triple and the feeling of accomplishment, he joined the Grizzlies. Not even as president, but simply as GM at the head of a franchise which has never made the playoffs and which arrives in Memphis after difficult years in Vancouver. And his science still hits the mark! He appointed the legendary Hubie Brown as coach, and two years after his arrival, the Grizzlies won the playoffs! In the process, he collected a second trophy for best manager.
It puts Memphis on the NBA map
For five years, Jerry West succeeded in putting the Grizzlies on the NBA map, not hesitating to make trades, like this draft night where he picked up Rudy Gay. He remained in place until June 2007. Pau Gasol broke his foot the previous summer, and the Grizzlies finished last with only 20 wins. West leaves his place, and it is therefore not him who is in charge of one of the most controversial exchanges in history: the departure of Pau Gasol against Kwame Brown and Javaris Crittenton, and the rights to Marc Gasol . For a long time, voices will be raised to evoke a “gift” from West to the Lakers, but the Grizzlies boss will affirm that his former GM had not influenced him, and that West had learned of the exchange like everyone else…
West was 70 years old at the time, and was thought to be done with the NBA and leadership roles. Except that he reappears in 2011 on the Warriors side. This is a simple advisory role to the new management of the franchise. Following this buyout, he simultaneously became a shareholder, and during the season, he gave the green light to the transfer of Monta Ellis to the Bucks in exchange for Andrew Bogut. Objective: give the keys to the team to the fragile but gifted Stephen Curry.
The Mazarin of the Warriors
On the other hand, behind the scenes, things get complicated. He did not want Mark Jackson at the head of the team, and the relationship between the two men hampered the team's progress. Finally, and against the advice of many players, the Warriors gave in, and Jackson walked out the door, replaced by Steve Kerr. West will be able to work with a man he trusts and get closer to the players.
Of course, Bob Myers is the GM and architect of the future double NBA champions, but it was Jerry West who, for example, vetoed the exchange between Klay Thompson and Kevin Love. With the consequences that we know… It is again he who will find the words to attract Kevin Durant.
After eight months at the Clippers, 90% of the squad had changed!
In Golden State, West added two more titles to his record, but in June 2017, surprise, he offered himself a new challenge, at the Clippers where Steve Ballmer took the president's hat off Doc Rivers' head. Lawrence Frank and West will handle recruitment, and West will receive between four and five million dollars per year for this “consultant” role.
He arrives just before the draft, and after announcing that Chris Paul was one of his favorite players, he validates his transfer to the Rockets! For him, the Clippers cannot extend all their best players (Paul, Griffin, Crawford and Redick), and there is no point in leaving with a group that remains unsuccessful. He chose to sacrifice Chris Paul, but he managed to convince Blake Griffin to extend for… $173 million. This is the only one that will be extended since Jamal Crawford is included in the Danilo Gallinari trade, while JJ Redick lands a monstrous salary at the Sixers.
The new Clippers start the season with four victories in four matches. And then, bad luck catches up with the team, and the infirmary fills up. Week after week, the players parade and even if Rivers works miracles, West remains dissatisfied. This team cannot attract free agents. This team is lacking young talent. The margin for progress is small. DeAndre Jordan, who may be a free agent, sees his name appear in the rumors. Same thing for Lou Williams.
Two masterstrokes to create the Leonard-George duo
Jerry West is thinking about tomorrow. Winning in 2018 is impossible, and we must continue the reconstruction. And then, in a twist, Blake Griffin, the player who had put the franchise on the NBA map, is sent to Detroit. With his huge contract and his repeated injuries.
Eight months after West's arrival, only DeAndre Jordan remains of the starting five, and Wesley Johnson and Austin Rivers are the only two other “survivors” from last season. West only took eight months to deconstruct the Clippers, and once again change the landscape of the NBA. Six months later, he will succeed in the summer of 2018. As in 1996 with Shaq to the Lakers or as in 2016 with the arrival of Kevin Durant to the Warriors, he hits very hard with the arrivals of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. They're still here, and in 2020, West gave them a five-year window to bring home a title. “Some of the things that have been done here in a short period of time are quite remarkablehe explained. “There's probably five years left for this team to be really good, because all these players are going to be in their prime. And when I look at other teams getting older, look at the ages of the players, we should be around for a while. » We will know in a year if he was right.
