With his contract up in August, the Los Angeles Clippers have expressed interest in hiring Warriors executive Jerry West, sources have told ESPN’s Marc Stein. West has already held talks with Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and head coach Doc Rivers.
Story going online now: League sources tell me that the Clippers have expressed interest in trying to hire Jerry West away from the Warriors
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) May 31, 2017
West, 79, has been with Golden State in an advisory role since 2011. The Clippers are reportedly looking at West to work with them in a similar capacity.
Warriors owner Joe Lacob told the San Jose Mercury News earlier this year that contract talks with West have been postponed until the end of the season, but stated that the team would like to retain the Hall-of-Famer’s services.
“We want [West] back,” Lacob told the Mercury News’ Tim Kawakami. “We love him. He’s been a great contributor to the organization, someone I consider a personal friend, as well. We would love him back, and we’ve made that known.”
West’s presence has had a significant impact on the Warriors’ franchise since Lacob made him one of the team’s first hires after taking over as owner. West was a vocal supporter of not trading Klay Thompson for Kevin Love in 2014, going so far as to say he’d quit if Golden State pulled the trigger on the deal. He also called Kevin Durant after the infamous Hampton’s meeting this summer, with many crediting the conversation as a tipping point in convincing Durant to sign.
West has spent his fair share of time in Los Angeles both as a player and executive. West was an architect of both the showtime Lakers of the 80’s, and the Kobe-Shaq dynasty in the late 90s-early 2000s.
The Clippers franchise enters the 2017 offseason at a crossroads with with starters Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and JJ Redick all bound for free agency on July 1.