Lakers Gave Kareem Abdul-Jabbar A Crazy Trade Kicker
Darren Rovell’s tweets can often come across as cold and detached – as the business side of sports can often be. Every so often, though, a morsel of humor can be found in the annals of contractual history.
Case in point:
Strange Clause: Kareem had in his contract that if he were ever traded from the Lakers, he'd get to use the Forum, rent free, for a night
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) May 6, 2015
Can you IMAGINE the type of party that could be thrown in the Great Western Forum in the 80s? I would’ve reported trade rumors daily just for the opportunity to fool Kareem Abdul-Jabbar into thinking it was time to party like it was 1989!
-== Modern Family Star Nearly Kicked Out Of Lakers Game ==-
In no world would Jerry West have considered trading the greatest center in the history of the NBA, so it’s probably best that this clause never kicked in. But just imagine for a second, the Forum Club (a private bar tucked away in the arena for VIPs) extended to the ENTIRE arena… I mean, if the Showtime era had to end, what better way to send it off?
Yeah, you’re right, the titles were more important. Yeah, totally. Titles are what the teams play for.
(I’m not totally sold on that. Party on, Cap!)