SI’s LEE JENKINS is "joining the Clippers" as Exec Dir of Research & Identity, a role that is the "first of its kind among NBA franchises," according to Andrew Greif of the L.A. TIMES. Jenkins "wasn’t considering a career change until the Clippers proposed the idea in the spring." He said, "There will be a significant amount of research into potential players. I think it’ll be a lot of work that complements what they already do in terms of their scouting and evaluation." He added, "I don't know a thing about evaluating talent. I could never do that in a million years. What I try to do is evaluate people." Greif notes Jenkins becomes the second SI basketball writer to "join an NBA front office in the past year," following LUKE WINN's departure for the Raptors. Jenkins said that the new role is "not a writing job" (L.A. TIMES, 9/18). ESPN.com's Adrian Wojnarowski noted the Clippers are "banking on the belief that Jenkins ... can translate his talent, ethics and instincts as a storyteller and his unique study of people into the franchise's ambitious basketball pursuits" (ESPN.com, 9/17). Jenkins was "hired by SI" in '07 as an NFL writer, but after the retirement of HOF writer JACK MCCALLUM in '10, he was "installed as the franchise's lead NBA writer" (SI.com, 9/17).
MEET THE NEW GUY: Jenkins said of his new role, “What I’m going to try and do is what I’ve done for the past 11 years, which is put together profiles of athletes to explain a little bit more about who they are. … There are so many areas where I can’t help (the Clippers), but what I can help them with is a little more of the who.” Jenkins said the opportunity to join the Clippers "came about right around the end of the regular season" after he had "developed a bit of a relationship" with Clippers President of Basketball Operations LAWRENCE FRANK and GM MICHAEL WINGER. Jenkins: "I didn’t necessarily think it was real. … I would’ve (never) thought a team would ask me to do this.” Jenkins said of joining the Clippers organization at this particular time, “It’s a great time and there’s tons of opportunity in front of them, and that’s why they put the word ‘identity’ in that title. They have this owner that has incredible resources, incredible passion in this market that everyone agrees is probably the most appealing market for NBA players, but they’re building more” (“The Woj Pod,” ART19.com, 9/18).
TWITTER REAX: Rockets GM Daryl Morey: "Congratulations @SI_LeeJenkins - it is going to be a lot tougher for top players to announce anything!" The Athletic's Sam Vecenie: "It’s rare that someone is universally liked by literally every human being in an industry. Lee Jenkins is that exception. No idea how he’ll do in a front office (don’t know him), but being a good dude who I’ve genuinely never heard a single bad word about is worth something." SI.com's Ryan Hunt: "As great as @SI_LeeJenkins is as a writer, he's even better as a person. He's special. The Clippers just got better today, in more ways than one. Congrats, Lee."
