LA Clippers: Ryan West & others joining the team’s staff furthers stability
The LA Clippers added key members to their staff including Ryan West. This only furthers their stability and should help them succeed long-term.
According to Andrew Grief of The LA Times, the LA Clippers have added several key pieces to both the front office and the coaching staff. The most notable hires are Tyronn Lue, who will be assisting head coach Doc Rivers and Ryan West who is the son of Jerry West and will be scouting prospects for the team.
The Lue hiring has been known about for several weeks as him reuniting with Doc seems like a match made in heaven. Lue brings a championship pedigree to the staff and will be an excellent addition to an already stacked staff that includes Rex Kalamian and Sam Cassell.
Ryan West joining the team feels like a victory on multiple levels. Having spent years with the Los Angeles Lakers as their director of player personnel, it’s great to see him join his father on the right LA-based team. With Jerry and Ryan both on the Clippers’ staff, it has to seem a little weird to Lakers’ fans. While we don’t know the extent of his role, if he has the same talent evaluation skills as his father, Ryan will be a huge help to the franchise.
Grief also notes that Jeremy Castleberry will be joining Doc’s staff. Castleberry is one of Kawhi Leonard‘s friends and has been with him at various stops throughout his career.
"Castleberry played alongside Leonard in high school in Riverside and also at San Diego State, where Castleberry was a walk-on guard. Castleberry broke into the NBA with San Antonio’s G League affiliate before working in the Spurs’ video room at the same time Leonard was becoming the team’s star NBA forward. Castleberry was an assistant with Toronto during last season’s NBA championship run, which starred Leonard."
The final hirings that Grief notes are Todd Wright, an assistant coach and vice president of player performance, and Maggie Bryant who will be the team’s director of rehabilitation. With Leonard and other key players likely being load managed during the year, she seems to be very busy.
Next. Windhorst, NBA Execs say Clippers are deeper than Lakers. dark
These hires exemplify how Steve Ballmer has run the organization. He has done everything in his power to get the right personnel in the right positions. His first big act was moving Lawrence Frank to the front office and letting Doc Rivers return to just coaching duties. Since then, the Clippers have had one of the premiere front offices in the NBA.