The LA Clippers secret weapon this off-season: Lee Jenkins
The LA Clippers head into the most anticipated off-season to date for the franchise as the team can possibly acquire one to two max-star players and instantly become a title contender for years to come.
The LA Clippers enter a pivotal off-season with the second most cap space available this summer, trailing only behind the New York Knicks.
Stars may be drawn to join the Clippers young core (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Landry Shamet, Jerome Robinson, Ivica Zubac), the hard-working vets (Lou Williams and Montrezl Harrell), or play for a well respected Head Coach and loaded Front Office (Doc Rivers, Steve Ballmer, Lawrence Frank, Jerry West, Michael Winger and Trent Redden).
The one name that does get lost among the Front Office is none other than the Clippers Executive Director of Research and Identity, Lee Jenkins.
The Clippers hired Jenkins last summer with the intention of him being playing a key role in luring free agents to LA this summer and for years to come.
"“The Clippers are banking on the belief that Jenkins, one of the industry’s preeminent sports journalists, can translate his talent, ethics and instincts as a storyteller and his unique study of people into the franchise’s ambitious basketball pursuits.”"
Jenkins also shared his thoughts on how the team described his role.
"“This team is interested not just in what players do, but who they are — how they’re wired, how they’re motivated — and that’s an area I love to explore.”"
Jenkins is well known and well respected for telling the story that LeBron James wrote when he decided to return home to the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2015.
He has also written some fantastic, in-depth pieces on some of the league’s biggest names and possible Clipper free-agent targets in Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Klay Thompson and Jimmy Butler.
In his quote, he mentions that the team wants to know who these players are (hint: Kawhi Leonard, Klay Thompson), how they’re wired (Jimmy Butler) and how they’re motivated (Kevin Durant).
Though most experts and fans don’t have an exact idea as to what Jenkins will provide to the team this summer, expect him to be apart of LA’s free-agent meetings where he will paint a picture as to why players should join the Clippers.
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Jenkins will be a major contributor in the Clippers efforts in snagging a marquee free agent this off-season.