ESPN.com's Marc Stein cited sources as saying that the Clippers have "expressed interest" in hiring Warriors Exec BOD member Jerry West. Sources said that the Clippers would "like to bring West into their organization in an advisory capacity, similar to the role he has held with the Warriors" since May '11. Sources said that West, who is under contract with the Warriors through July, has been asked by Warriors co-Owner Joe Lacob to "stay with the franchise." Stein noted if the Clippers are "successful in convincing West to leave the Warriors after a six-year run, it would prove an undeniable booster shot for their organization in terms of credibility and know-how" (ESPN.com, 5/30).
NEW LOOK: In Des Moines, Aaron Young notes the T'Wolves yesterday revealed the "new team identity" for their NBA D-League affiliate as the Iowa Wolves. The team was previously known as the Iowa Energy. The T'Wolves announced that they "would buy the Wolves earlier this year." Iowa's "previous hybrid partnership" with the Grizzlies "ended after this past season." At 230 miles apart, the T'Wolves and Wolves partnership "makes sense" as the teams can "exchange players quickly" (DES MOINES REGISTER, 5/31). In St. Paul, Jace Frederick notes before the partnership between the two teams became official, T'Wolves Owner Glen Taylor "reached out to people in the airline industry to find times and costs of flying players back and forth between Des Moines and the Twin Cities" (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 5/31).
NOT THRILLED WITH PHIL: ESPN's Mark Jackson, a former Knicks player, called Knicks President Phil Jackson's term in the role "a failure so far." Prior to that, he called Jackson "one of the greatest coaches in the history of sports." But he then added, "I can also look at the numbers and say as the guy running the New York Knicks he's done a poor job" (NEWSDAY, 5/31).
