The Golden State Warriors booked a fancy hotel in San Francisco.
Co-owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber made an appearance, as did
forward David Lee. Warrior girls greeted the attendees. All to
announce the hiring of a consultant. Jerry West, introduced by the
team on Tuesday, clearly is more than just a consultant. Though he
will not make decisions, he will have an influence on how they are
made.
OAKLAND
The Golden State Warriors booked a fancy hotel in San Francisco. Co-owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber made an appearance, as did forward David Lee. Warrior girls greeted the attendees.
All to announce the hiring of a consultant.
Jerry West, introduced by the team on Tuesday, clearly is more than just a consultant. Though he will not make decisions, he will have an influence on how they are made.
Follow Free Lance Sports on Twitter.
“I see things a little bit different than they do and I will give my opinion,” West said to a gathering at the St. Regis Hotel. “I do think there’s changes that need to be made here, and I know they do in talking with them. I would encourage them to be a little more aggressive than they have been.”
West stressed a team approach to management and said he didn’t take the job until he was sure general manager Larry Riley and assistant GM Bob Myers were comfortable with him around.
In addition to his role as a consultant, West has a seat on Golden State’s board of directors and an “economic interest” in the team, Lacob said.
In many respects, the Warriors filled a need by adding West, who was not just a Hall of Fame player but won four titles as the Lakers’ general manager and rebuilt the Memphis Grizzlies, also as their GM. He was twice named the NBA’s executive of the year, in 1995 with the Lakers and in 2004 with the Grizzlies.
The Warriors’ hope is that their decision room will be supplemented by West’s experience, connections and mettle.
Right off the bat, West was talking about pushing the envelope. He talked about having the gumption to make a big trade, even dealing a big-name star. He talked about aggressively pursuing free agents, even overspending to get the right player (center DeAndre Jordan of the Los Angeles Clippers?).
“We have high goals,” Lacob said. “The only way to (reach) that is to have good people around you. The best people. All he talks about is winning, about passion, about commitment. He has one of the best track records in almost every respect as an executive, as a player, as a coach as anyone who’s ever been around basketball. He’s the legend. He is that good. He is that smart. He is that experienced.”
Lacob said the courtship of West had been going on for months before Friday’s announcement that he had been hired. West said he joined the Warriors because of Lacob and Guber. He emphasized that a burning passion for basketball is what drove him back into the game after four years of retirement, and he said the energy of the Warriors owners convinced him that Golden State was the right fit.
West said the Warriors’ biggest need is size and that the team needs to go in a “little bit different direction” than the offense-first mentality. When asked about the Monta Ellis-Stephen Curry backcourt, he stopped well short of saying the two can win big together. He said picking a new coach will be the hardest task and the Warriors tradition of changing coaches frequently is a bad idea.
“I know my place in this organization,” West said. “I think I can be of help. I think I can stimulate ideas. I think I can encourage them to be bold, risk-taking. I will tell you, I’m not a shrinking violet. I’m not. If you don’t want my opinion, don’t ask.”
— Story by Marcus Thompson II, Contra Costa Times
