Tim Leiweke Echoes Lombardi’s “Final Offer” Attitude on Doughty Contract

AEG CEO Tim Leiweke spoke to Helene Elliott on Monday, and while he agreed that Drew Doughty needs to return soon, he made it clear that all of the Kings brass is on board together in the negotiations with Doughty and his agent, Don Meehan.

Leiweke is at his best when he’s being a fan or bankrolling a multi-million dollar entertainment center. Not speaking. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

The support from Leiweke serves as a big feather in the cap of GM Dean Lombardi, since his borderline crass approach on the Doughty situation has been stern but almost too much so. While Lombardi’s attitude towards wielding a final offer towards the Doughty camp, his outspoken remarks on the details of the negotiations could be putting Lombardi in a corner. He’s claimed that the Kings won’t adjust their offer, in a “take it or leave it” type contract offer, which puts two stubborn sides at an absolute stare down, with the media between the two camps every step of the way. At some point someone’s ego will have to budge, but you have to wonder just how Lombardi’s attitude will affect the relationship between Drew Doughty and Kings management in the future.

That’s where Tim Leiweke comes in to further the situation and extend Lombardi’s mantra. And don’t get me wrong, I think that Dean Lombardi has been tremendous this offseason for the Kings, it’s just the public nature of the Doughty holdout that brings forth the personality of control that fuels Lombardi. Of course Leiweke isn’t going to come out in the public and show any wavering of support behind Lombardi, but I’m not so sure the doubling up of the Lombardi “take it or leave it” plan is going to whip Doughty and Meehan into shape, coaxing them to sign.

Here’s what Leiweke had to say on Monday:

"From my standpoint, I want Drew to come back. Please, Drew, come back. We love you. He needs to get back in here. And we need to get him ready to go to Europe. He should not miss that trip. It would mean that we would begin to move on without him, and that’s a bad thing. […] When I look at that, I think there either has to be a miscommunication or Drew’s a 21-year-old and probably hasn’t done what he may need to do here, which is stand up and take charge of the decision. […] More importantly, tell me which player we’re now starting to carve this $300,000 or $400,000 out of. […] We’re carving it out of someone’s salary next year and it’s no secret we’ve got some restricted and unrestricted free agents that we have to deal with in the next two years. […]If someone’s whispering in Drew’s ear that ownership is going to get impatient and blink, they’re wrong."

A lot of what Leiweke has to say is anti-Meehan, and at this point he could definitely be the culprit of the issue and not Doughty. And with that, Leiweke is right in voicing his concerns that Doughty is being influenced poorly and should think for himself. In fact, he’s right about almost everything he said. He’s spot on.

But, again, I’m not so sure comments like this from Leiweke exactly entice Doughty to rethink the situation. Owners are always better seen than heard, and while Leiweke isn’t exactly Philip Anschutz, he might as well be.

This whole stalemate either needs to get over with now, or get out of the public spotlight, especially since it’s just one side spouting off in the debate. Nothing good can come from such a public spectacle, regardless of the immense fan support that Kings management has on this issue.

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