Soon after Magic Johnson’s Showtime Lakers came to an end in the late 1980s, there were a few seasons where the Los Angeles Lakers were an irrelevant franchise. However, it was when Jerry West drafted Nick Van Exel in 1993, and assembled a squad of Cedric Ceballos, Eddie Jones, and Vlade Divac that the Purple & Gold became the entertaining side they were always known to be.
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Entering the league, Van Exel wasn’t a lottery pick. In fact, the undersized point guard was a 2nd round pick. However, much to everyone’s surprise, the 6-foot-1 southpaw was beneficial for the Lakers, to say the least.
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Using his pace, passing, and scoring ability, “Nick the Quick” developed into one of the most captivating players in the league. Playing 5 years with LAL, he managed to average a solid 14.4 points, 6.6 assists, and 2.9 rebounds per game.
Nick Van Exel was PISSED when Jerry West traded him
After the conclusion of the 1997-98 campaign, Jerry West decided to trade the star guard. Sending him to the Nuggets, the Lakers managed to acquire Tony Battie and Tyronn Lue.
“Nick Van Exel was unloaded on Denver, ending a rocky five-year run in Los Angeles that produced a 100:1 headache-to-glory ratio. Jerry West organized, negotiated, and pulled off the trade, and while what he received was far below value for a 26-year-old All-Star floor general (the Lakers acquired forward Tony Battie and point guard Tyronn Lue, the recent 23rd pick in the NBA draft), ridding the organization of its biggest annoyance was addition by subtraction.”
When West decided to thank the combo guard for his services, the latter chose not to hear what the Lakers legend had to say. As mentioned in ‘Three-Ring Circus‘ by Jeff Pearlman:
“I loved Nick,” West recalled years later. “He’s one of my favorite competitors. But it couldn’t continue.” The trade took place on Wednesday, June 24. West reached out to Van Exel to let him know and to thank him for his contributions. Van Exel refused to take the call. On Wednesday. On Thursday. On Friday. On Saturday. On Sunday. Ever. “F**k Jerry West,” he told James Bryant, his agent. “You don’t treat me this way.”
Why was Van Exel traded?
Nick Van Exel was playing some of the best basketball of his career during the late 1990s. Despite his outstanding performance, the Lakers’ front office decided to trade him. But why? Thanks to a poorly timed joke.
During the 1998 Eastern Conference Finals, the Lakers found themselves trailing 0-3 against the Utah Jazz. During a huddle in practice, instead of motivating his teammates, Nick decided to light up the mood by cracking a joke.
“Cancun,” Van Exel said in the huddle.
The ‘joke’ didn’t sit well with the players, coaches, and executives. Sadly, it cost him his spot on a championship-contending team.
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