Wilkes and Maxwell Went From Top Clubs to the NBA’s Siberia

Jamaal Wilkes says his move from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Los Angeles Clippers was like going from a Rolls Royce to a ’62 Chevy.

For Cedric Maxwell, being sent by the Boston Celtics to the Clippers was like a banishment to pro basketball’s version of Siberia.

Both veteran forwards, winners throughout their respective National Basketball Assn. careers, became members of the lowly Clippers last summer. Talk about a lesson in humility . . .

The lesson was brief for Wilkes, who on Tuesday announced his retirement after 12 years in the league.

“There were several factors involved in my decision” to retire, Wilkes said in a statement issued by the Clippers. “But the main reason was that I didn’t feel I was making a significant contribution.”

Upon joining the Clippers after being waived by the Lakers, Wilkes said he was “grateful to have an opportunity to play without moving my family and where people have shown me a lot of love. On the other hand, it’s the opposite end of the spectrum.

“I realized it would be frustrating and it certainly has been. This franchise has no credibility in this town.”

According to Maxwell, who’s been used as a starter, the Clippers have an illness he calls “franchise-itis.”

“There’s a lot of talent in this organization,” he said. “We have to get over the stigma of being losers. You get into that rut of losing, it’s hard to get out of it.

“This organization doesn’t live and die with each game. Our purpose is to get into the playoffs. If you lost a couple of games when you were with the Celtics, it was like the sun wasn’t going to rise again. Their purpose is to become champions.”

Through Thursday’s games, the Clippers--in their second season in Los Angeles after moving from San Diego--were in fifth place in the Pacific Division, 15 games behind the defending-champion Lakers. Boston, which lost to the Lakers in last season’s championship round, had a 3 1/2-game lead in the Atlantic Division.

“The job here is to play,” Wilkes said. “With the Lakers, the job is to win. It’s a big difference. It’s a mental thing, an attitude.

“With the Lakers, every practice was a happening, an event. They know they’re going to win. Here, it’s just the reverse. Everything is habit-forming. The Clippers have solid personnel, but they’re a lousy team, as far as their record is concerned.”

Wilkes, 32, played on three NBA championship teams with the Lakers, while Maxwell, 30, was a member of two championship teams with the Celtics.

For Wilkes, leaving the Lakers was a sad occasion for all involved. Hampered by illness and injuries the last two years, he was deemed expendable because Los Angeles had plenty of talented forwards.

General Manager Jerry West of the Lakers had tears in his eyes at a news conference announcing that Wilkes was being waived.

For Maxwell, it was a much different story. He wanted out of Boston and the Celtics couldn’t wait to get rid of him. He went west in exchange for a player with a history of injuries, center Bill Walton.

“In my case, I’m sure they felt like they were sending me as far away as they could,” Maxwell said. “If there was an NBA franchise in Hawaii, I’m sure they would have traded me there.

“I think they did it because they didn’t think I rehabilitated my knee properly. And they thought they could get a good player in Walton. They needed a backup center. It made sense.”

Maxwell, who brought a career scoring average of 13.7 points a game into this season, underwent knee surgery last Feb. 20. He was used sparingly in the NBA playoffs.

“The Celtics questioned my integrity,” Maxwell said. “I did the best I could do under the circumstances. I have no idea why they would have any malice toward me.

“They said I was the reason they didn’t repeat (as NBA champions). I did not want to be there after that. I think considering the situation, it was best for everybody that I be traded. I’m really happy to be here (with the Clippers).”

Both players, though, retain good feelings about their old teams.

“After being released, I was real hurt for two or three days,” Wilkes recalled. “Then, it was, ‘What next?”’

“I was more hurt than bitter. I had a great time there. It’s kind of like a love affair. While it was happening, it was great. Sometimes, things don’t work out.”

Maxwell said he wished the Celtics all the luck in the world.

“I mean that,” he added. “I really do. Anything I would say to demean (Celtics president) Red Auerbach or the organization wouldn’t do any good.

“I did everything they asked me to do for a lot of years and didn’t complain. So many guys would have lived and died for the experiences I had there, two championship rings and everything else. It was wonderful.

“At the same time, while I’m not going to make or break that organization, it’s hard to do what I did for that team, digging the ditches, setting the screens.

“They can tarnish my image, but they can’t erase me. I’m in Celtic history like granite. That can’t be changed.”