Warriors’ Success Influenced By Several Former Lakers
By Scott Asai
The Lakers postseason is highlighted by winning the #2 pick in the NBA Draft and although their Northern California counterpart, the Golden State Warriors made it to the NBA Finals, there’s much Lakers’ influence in their success.
-== Top 10 Lakers Draft Picks of All-Time ==-
Jerry West is a consultant for the Warriors, but he plays a monumental role in decision making within the organization. West’s clutch gene was cemented as a player in the league, but his expertise and wisdom in selecting talent in the NBA is second to none. It’s disheartening as a Lakers fan to see him work his magic for one of our rivals, but some of his current moves have helped Golden State reach new heights. West was adamant about not trading Klay Thompson for Kevin Love and based on how things turned out, it looks like the right decision. He also took Harrison Barnes aside while distracted and got him refocused using a method that worked with Kobe Bryant. Ever since West left the Lakers in the early 2000’s he’s helped two franchises, the Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors, maximize their talent.
Assistant Coach Luke Walton played with Kobe Bryant and under Phil Jackson for the bulk of his career. As a role player he’s learned from the best on and off the court. As a cerebral player that Jackson admired, he optimized his brain the way he couldn’t for his body. Walton is also a student of the game that gained much wisdom from Tex Winter and surely shares it with the players today.
Head Coach Steve Kerr is a disciple of Phil Jackson and Greg Popovich, arguably the two best coaches in professional basketball history. Borrowing schemes from San Antonio, but the mindset from the Zen Master, Kerr has the perfect hybrid of coaching philosophies. Jackson thought highly enough of Kerr to offer him the Head Coaching position of the New York Knicks and although Kerr was flattered by the gesture, he took the better job. In fact, Jackson can be credited for identifying then driving up the price for Kerr as a coach without any previous coaching experience.
Even though the Lakers aren’t in the NBA playoffs this season, their imprint on the Golden State Warriors is clear. Former Lakers legends not employed by the purple and gold are still making their mark in the league. The gold in the Golden State Warriors is shining that much brighter because of the Los Angeles Lakers impact that knows a bit about championship rings.