Report: Warriors' consultant Jerry West threatened to quit if team traded Thompson for Love
With the Golden State Warriors making it to the NBA Finals, it seems that "The Logo" was right all along.
Warriors head consultant Jerry West made his opinion known last summer when the Dubs were seriously considering a deal that would have shipped out budding superstar Klay Thompson in exchange for Kevin Love, who was then a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Sports Illustrated's Chris Ballard reported Thursday that West threatened to resign his position with the team had Thompson been included in the deal.
West's primary concern about the swap was that the Warriors were a team focused on defense – something Love has never been known for.
Mychal Thompson, Klay's father and a former NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers, was asked last year about the rumored trade involving his son:
Mychal Thompson on Klay: "He was put on the table by the owner and the general manager. Jerry West and Steve Kerr pulled him off the deal."
— Diamond Leung (@diamond83) August 23, 2014
Warriors owner Joe Lacob and general manager Bob Myers were reportedly in favor of the deal. As Thompson's father indicated, it was West and head coach Steve Kerr who nixed the trade, effectively keeping Klay in the Bay Area.
In a somewhat ironic twist, Love was eventually traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers – the Warriors' current foe in these NBA Finals.
West has won the NBA Executive of the Year award twice – once with the Lakers, in 1995, and once more with the Memphis Grizzlies, in 2004.