Trial for a wrongful-termination lawsuit brought by Elgin Baylor against the Clippers began on Tuesday.
Baylor's attorney, Alvin J. Pittman, in his opening statement, told the seven-man, five woman jury in Los Angeles Superior Court that Baylor was "positioned to take responsibility for the [team's] losses" when he was relieved in 2008 after 22 years as a Clippers executive.
Pittman told jurors that current team President Andy Roeser once told Baylor, then executive vice president and general manager, that "teams sell one of two things: success or hope, and the Clippers sell hope."
Baylor is suing Roeser, Clippers owner Donald Sterling and the team for wrongful termination based on age discrimination.
In his opening statement, Clippers attorney Robert Platt said Baylor made awful choices in his draft picks and was justifiably held to answer by a Roeser "report card" to Sterling in 2005 that pointed out Baylor's 509-1,017 record over 19 seasons.
"The Clippers already had a reputation as a horrible franchise" when Baylor took over front office duties, Pittman said. "Whereas the Lakers had ownership showing an interest in winning, Mr. Baylor accepted a position that was challenging, a team that has a tradition of losing and unwilling to pay or re-sign key players."