May 03, 2006 Sports » Sports Feature

Parsing Jerry West 

by John Branston
click to enlarge Jerry West
  • Jerry West
Grizzlies president of basketball operations met the media today for a post-mortem on the team’s season. West had plenty of interesting things to say, but most notable by far was the way he hung current head coach Mike Fratello out to dry.

Asked about the upside of little-used (by Fratello) rookies Hakim Warrick and Lawrence Roberts, whom West selected in last summer’s draft, The Logo said, “I think Hakim Warrick could be a great player if he played. Maybe I’m wrong. I didn’t coach him. I think Lawrence Roberts would rebound the ball, if he played.” Ouch!

Later, West was asked about former Grizzly Bonzi Wells, who is playing brilliantly for the Sacramento Kings in the playoffs but whom Fratello dismissed from the Grizzlies during last year’s playoffs. The question was, “Why couldn’t [Wells] play for this team?” West’s pointed response: “I’m not the one to answer that.”

For more on what West said today and what it might mean, see our Grizzlies blog here.

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