From Lakers to Warriors: West’s Consulting Second Act
West's executive life did not end with the Lakers. After leaving Los Angeles his eye kept shining elsewhere. In 2002 he joined the Memphis Grizzlies as director of basketball operations, turning a doormat into a playoff team and winning 2004 NBA Executive of the Year.
In 2011 West joined the Golden State Warriors as a consultant, and again he bet on an era. The Warriors were then a fringe playoff team; West's advice on drafts and free agency proved pivotal—he supported keeping Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, nurtured Draymond Green's growth, and in 2016 pushed hard to sign Kevin Durant.
Golden State won titles in 2015, 2017 and 2018; the Splash era swept the league. West wore no coach or GM title, but he was the respected "old sage" in the locker room. Curry said West's experience was the team's quietest asset.
From Lakers Showtime to Warriors Splash, West proved the same truth in two opposite philosophies: across any era, the ability to spot and trust genius is always rare.
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