Even the most successful dynasties in sports history often conceal internal conflicts beneath their surface of perfection. The Showtime Los Angeles Lakers were no exception to this harsh truth. Even though they managed to feature in eight of the potential 10 NBA Finals from 1980 to 1989, when they came up short, big measures were suggested to be made.
A prime example of this came when Magic Johnson thought Mark Aguirre would be the perfect replacement for James Worthy . However, Jerry West stopped this major change at the eleventh hour, even threatening owner Jerry Buss to walk out of the door if the deal went through.
West stopped Worthy from being traded by the Lakers
As the defending champions, the Lakers experienced a huge upset at the hands of the Houston Rockets in the 1986 Western Conference Final when the latter came from behind to close out the series in five games. Witnessing the Rockets' 'Twin Towers' dominate the series and average a combined 51.4 points, 20.0 rebounds, and 6.2 blocks per game.
Despite James making his presence felt by averaging 20.2 points per game in that series, it became apparent to Magic that the Lakers needed reinforcements to regain supremacy in the West. Recognizing this, the three-time MVP proposed a bold move to owner Buss to replace Worthy with Aguirre, who averaged 24.1 points in his first five seasons for the Dallas Mavericks.
Johnson and Mark weren't just friends, but 'Ziggy' even made his presence felt to Buss and the Purple and Gold when the Mavs faced in the second round by averaging 27.2 points per game in that series. Eventually, Magic's persuasion proved effective, and Buss initiated negotiations with Mavs owner Donald Carter just some days before the 1986 NBA Draft.
The proposed trade would have sent Worthy to Dallas in exchange for Aguirre and a seventh-round draft pick. The deal was on the verge of completion until West intervened. Upon learning of the transaction, 'The Logo' not only presented an argument to keep 'Big Game James' but also threatened that if the deal went through, Buss would be compelled to look for a new general manager, as he'd resign instantly.
"West called Buss and told him the trade was an enormous blunder and that Aguirre - while talented - was a me-first player who would destroy the Lakers' chemistry," Jeff Pearlman wrote in the book Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s. "Worthy, he explained, could do 20 different things to help a team win. If Aguirre wasn't receiving the ball and scoring, he was useless."
As Jerry provided his counterparts with updates on the advancement of the discussions, West clearly articulated his position,
"(West asked), 'Had papers been signed?' (Buss replied) 'No.' (West asked). 'Had players been alerted?' (Buss replied) No. (West asked), 'The media?' (Buss replied) No... (West said), 'Then.. it's not done,'" Pearlman wrote. "The general manager gave the owner an ultimatum, 'If this goes through, I quit.'"
Worthy proved his worth to Magic and Buss
While West threw the kitchen sink to save Worthy, the 6'9" forward stood firmly in his beliefs and single-handedly led the Lakers to their last title in the Showtime era by delivering a clutch 36-point, 10-assist, and 16-rebound triple-double performance in Game 7 of the 1988 NBA Finals against the Detroit Pistons. If having a game-changing impact on a contest that was decided by a mere 3-point margin wasn't enough, James also led the series in scoring (22.0 PPG).
It is safe to say that though Johnson believed Worthy's departure would take the Lakers to the next level, it was indeed the former's presence that helped him secure his fifth title.
Related: "He can do in 10 minutes what it takes most GMs 3 or 4 months to do" - James Worthy praises Jerry West's GM skills
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