On Jerry West's Odd Reappearance in L.A.

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In the immediate aftermath of the Lakers' series-clinching victory, Laker great Jerry West got on the mic to spread Christmas joy and regale Kobe with compliments (as pictured to the right). Again, West is a Laker great. He was the architect of the last 200 Lakers teams which made it to the Finals. He looks unequivocally comfortable amid all that Forum blue and gold. His presence at center court in-and-of-itself is worth only a glance.

But considering his consultant role in Memphis, following several years running the Grizzly show, and considering a significant reason the Lakers have gotten to the Finals is named Pau Gasol, and considering the Lakers acquired Gasol in a deal which was universally considered heavily lopsided, to the point in which executives from several NBA teams reacted by openly saying there should be a committee of team execs which is allowed, fantasy-style, to veto such lopsided trades, and considering that last summer Kobe made an ultimatum which consisted of "bring back Jerry West or trade me," and considering West has a history of seriously not giving a flip about what anyone thinks about anything he does ever, and considering once again that West is for all intents and porpoises a lifelong Laker ... should we be concerned with him showing up on TNT before Marv's brow even dries?

West has been connected deeply to the Lakers franchise since 1960. I'm not saying he locked Chris Wallace and Michael Heisley in a cell and forced them to trade Gasol for a highly questionable package of ifs, ands, and maybes. But as a trusted consultant (and one of the top basketball minds in the world), he could have been in their ears, arguing the overblown "flexibility" perspective and talking up Javaris Crittenton as the next coming of Wade as simple ruse to get his real loyalties the steal of the decade.

Back in February, West denied involvement. But we wouldn't be talking about any of this if West wasn't on TV ten seconds after the final whistle. (And, of course, it's unlikely West gives a giggle that we are talking about it.)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

5-30-2008 @ 12:56AM

Dr Huxtable said...

The NBA is so f*cking weak. How long are people going to put up with a fixed league?

5-30-2008 @ 1:20AM

frank said...

I guess is only me;
LA has only 1 player that can score with consistency ? ( Kobe) or better yet
LA has only 1 player that can play "D" with consistency and block shoots and some passing abilities or dimes (playmaker) Gasol ?
LA has a 2 men team with consistency????
To beat Boston or even Detroit LA has to do better then that;
In fact in 2004 Detroit demolish LA in the finals 4-1 with a younger Kobe and Shaq in his prime ??
So history will repeat itself if is any logic in the game;
2 men team can't beat either Boston or Detroit
guarantee!

5-30-2008 @ 1:43AM

In fact, who ever teach Gasol how to play "D" did it the right way;
Gasol screens,blocks and close spaces to perfection like no other and in a clean way;
No flopping from this guy;
the perfect pupil for someone like Red Auerbach or Bill Russell;
A great player like Duncan recognized such in a quiet way;
LA must realize what kind of a defensive player they have by now;
Still 1 man "D" can't stop Boston or Detroit.

5-30-2008 @ 1:54AM

Lakergregg said...

Ziller you're a Warriors fan I wouldn't expect for you to get it, so let me help you to understand.
Mr.Clutch is a Laker.
He was there to show his love and respect for Mitch Kupchak.
Jerry was/is Mitch's mentor, and with all the crap Mitch has taken Jerry wanted to be there to present him the Conference trophy.
It's called loyalty.
And, to Frank please keep your negativity coming, its working for the Lakers.
One scorer.
One defender.
One team.
One destiny!

5-30-2008 @ 1:56AM

John M. said...

I like how Laker fans (and all fans) flipped their lid when the Celtics scored KG for a pile of garbage (except for Al Jefferson), but when they acquired Gasol for a ham sandwich they shut right up. Sounds like the stars have aligned in LA LA land. Whiny bitches.

5-30-2008 @ 2:21AM

To Lakergregg, to be realistic is that bad? I am not a dreamer;
Kobe scores and Gasol defends ????So, according to you them 2 will beat a complete team ??for 48 minutes?
Sorry, to disagree with you;
I rather face the facts in the real world then to create a LA, LA land to denied it.
No one man can't beat a team ;
In this cas NO 2 men can beat an excellent team;
In fact in 2004 LA had Shaq in his prime,a younger Kobe and a younger Fisher and LA lost the series BAD 4-1 , so history will repeat itself.

5-30-2008 @ 2:38AM

petejayhawk said...

"For all intents and 'porpoises'"?

You idiot.

The correct idiom is "for all intensive purposes".

Get your Mottram-AOL style guide out and look it up, n00b.

5-30-2008 @ 3:01AM

mcjesus said...

west had nothing to do with the gasol trade, the grizzles are just run by jackals who no nothing about how to run a team. West was brought out to show his confidence in current laker managment; nothing more. And for those grizzle doubters, watch out cuz crittenton is going to develop into a great player when he gets more PT next year. anyways, this article is ridiculous. Why I'm even responding to it just reaffirms my own idiocracy.

5-30-2008 @ 3:35AM

Rob Insa said...

Well...the league is finally getting what they so desparately couldn't do in the last 5 years....the chance at an LA/Boston Final.

Do they really think that is going to raise viewership ratings?

What with Cable...Satelite...and many other venues of entertainment to tune in to...this isn't the golden age of TV NBA any more no matter which teams make it to the finals.

The general public just won't care.

So much for getting your wish.

5-30-2008 @ 3:58AM

Frank, in 2004 if Malone's not hurt the Lakers beat Detroit.
But beating Utah and San Antonio kind of defeats your
so called facts.

5-30-2008 @ 4:22AM

online travel agent said...

wow jerry west

5-30-2008 @ 4:34AM

Congratulations Lakers.

It finally took your team to beat an aged, depleted, and injured team to finally make it to the finals.

You've got a lot to look forward to.

5-30-2008 @ 8:03AM

sfgary said...

Who cares what any of you think is to happen? Untethered musings about the NBA being fixed are better than bonehead assurances about the future. Anyone who thinks the Cs or the Ps are gonna crush the Lakers must be smoking crack. Anyone who thinks the Lakers are gonna waltz through the finals without a sweat is similarly high.

Here's an idea - let them play the games. Afterwards all you conspiracy nuts can complain about old trades and bad referees.

5-30-2008 @ 8:23AM

What the heck Jerry West was doing there ?
He does not work for the Lakers to begin with ??

5-30-2008 @ 8:26AM

Maybe Jerry West went to collect " his bonus"
check you go figure, done.

5-30-2008 @ 9:52AM

sal cunningham said...

I cannot believe there are actually some knuckleheads that think the Lakers can't win it all!
All it does is show their total ignorance of basketball.

5-30-2008 @ 10:46AM

roger said...

I noticed that last night and thought it was bizarre but thought it was just a result of me being lightheaded from crying in my beer.

I am sure there is no "monkey business" there but, I will say this...it was a bad idea for him to be there. Why open the team to even silly speculation by having a representative of the team that gave the Lakers Gasol on hand. It would be akin to, if the Spurs had won on the hand of Brent Barry, having Sam Presti on the Podium glad-handing.

Clumsy decision from a class act, Mr. Clutch.

5-30-2008 @ 10:56AM

Hey Sal, Boston already beat LA twic by double digits! ( with Bynum in it)
So you think that LA has a better chance now because LA has Gasol now ?
Get a life!
One man will not stop the green machine!
Plus Kobe has a lot of problems scoring against Boston more then anyother team;
Gasol as good as he is will not beat Boston all by himself, guarantee!

5-30-2008 @ 11:28AM

kidyubyub said...

blah

5-30-2008 @ 11:29AM

Bert said...

Hey Frank, how about you let them play the games and then we can talk all about wins and losses? Also, how will you respond IF the Lakers do beat either of those teams from the East? Will you disappear or come back and eat crow?

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