This whole thread is based on the weird premise that Paul George would not only ask to be traded, not only that the Thunder would actually trade him, but also that the Thunder would be willing to trade him to LA. That just seems highly unlikely.
Highly unlikely seems to always happen with Jerry West. I gave all the examples where Jerry West has completed highly unlikely deals that made everyone go WOW at the time. In my opinion he had to have known something to just wait and wait .... he did not go after Butler, he did not go after Kemba, he did not go after Durant, or Klay Thompson. He could have got tried any of those players and offered them as enticement for Kawhi. He did not do any of that. Where would the Clippers be if Kawhi did not sign? I just believe, just my opinion. that the delay was to ensure the Lakers did not get that third star. Of course Kawhi would play along why would he want to be with the Clippers if the Lakers had a big three. I dont believe Kawhi was ever going to be a third wheel with the Lakers. That is what he would have been with the Lakers a third wheel. He would have been the last piece. He did not want that. He would have been a competing wing against LeBron because AD is a big and doesnt have to worry about that. Most importantly he would be under the huge shadow of LeBron James.
It could have been Kawhi's plan to sign with the Lakers when he left San Antonio, but once LeBron moved to the Lakers they lost their chance to get Kawhi. LeBron James 'stole' Kawhi's position with the Lakers. The questions Kawhi asked Magic were centered around how much the Lakers want him, who is actually in control of the Lakers, and would he get the same extra benefits LeBron got with the Lakers. Jerry West and Kawhi had the same goal get back at the Lakers in Jerry's case for forcing him out and in Kawhi's case for not waiting one year for him. Once he settled on the Clippers the only thing left was to make sure to stop the Laker Juggernaut. Jerry West knows these players, he knows their needs and how to talk to them.
This is wholly inaccurate.
Kawhi tried to persuade both Durant and Kyrie to the Clippers with him. They both were flattered but had already agreed to team up with each other. Kemba appears to simply be an east coast guy and was far more intrigued by either NY or Boston (or even Charlotte). I'm not really sure what happened with Jimmy, but the Sixers would have had to be willing to play ball and the Clippers would have needed to find a third team to facilitate a deal. It would have been complicated. I also think Jimmy didn't want to wait and lose out on the opportunity to go to Miami. But like I said, I'm not entirely sure about Jimmy, there wasn't as much reporting about him once he decided Miami early on. Klay was always going to stay with GSW.
So in reality, the Clippers couldn't have just gotten any of those guys. It seems they actually couldn't get any of them.
you grossly underestimate Jerry West. By the way if the choice is between Clippers tampering with PG before FA and Clippers tampering with PG after free agency, I think it is a distinction without a difference.
The Clippers never tampered with George. Kawhi was the one that reached out to PG on behalf of himself (to the advantage of the Clippers yes - but not on their behalf). Kawhi was a free agent acting on his own to get someone to join him. PG was his last hope, otherwise, he was going to sign with the Lakers. This is all well known by now.
West, nor anyone else on the Clippers, had anything to do with convincing PG to ask for a trade, that was all Kawhi's doing once he realized none of the other star free agents would join him on the Clippers.
How could you even believe that spin, that the Clippers - the team that had to facilitate and stood to benefit from a PG trade request - had no agency in the scheme that led to the trade demand. So in a matter of a week Kawhi Leonard was able to orchestrate a trade demand and trade without the Clippers even knowing about it. Yeah West had nothing to do with PG asking for a trade just like he had nothing to do with Shaq leaving Orlando. He is always just there to pick up the bounty. Any one that believes this is probably on their way to put in their bid on that bridge in Brooklyn.
I think they contributed to Paul George's trade demand in the sense that, when Kawhi said "I'll sign with you if you get another star", they said "okay, tell us who you want and we'll give up whatever we need to to make it happen". There's absolutely nothing to suggest that anyone but Kawhi was involved in convincing Paul George to leave OKC
Note that Kawhi saying "if you demand a trade right now, the Clippers will do whatever it takes to get you and then I'll join you there", the Clippers being told by Kawhi that Paul George demanded a trade (or simply that he wanted to play with George so they should see what it would take to get him), and the Clippers taking advantage of Paul George asking for a trade are not tampering. Tampering would be if they were in contact with George before the trade demand, but if Kawhi was already convincing Paul George to demand a trade, what benefit is there to Jerry West/Lawrence Frank doing the same? I can't see the Clippers FO opening themselves up to massive tampering allegations/penalties (and you know OKC would go after them if they could, Paul George was still under a long term contract with them) for so little benefit (because Kawhi+Jerry West/Lawrence Frank is not going to be significantly more convincing than just Kawhi)
If you're looking for a boogie man in this whole thing and wondering who orchestrated it, you need to stop looking at Jerry West and look straight at Kawhi