Former Los Angeles Lakers great, Jerry West, said he had no plans on returning to the organization this offseason.
The Los Angeles Lakers have been involved in a lot of news this offseason. They are in a full blown youth movement under the new front office regime of Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka. Earlier in the offseason, there looked like another big name could be added to the group.
Earlier this offseason there were some rumblings that former Lakers great point guard, Jerry West, could return to the team as a consultant. West was leaving the Golden State Warriors, where he had been a consultant. However, Johnson and Pelinka were not interested in bringing West aboard. Instead, West would join the rival Los Angeles Clippers.
The debate about whether or not the Lakers made the right decision to pass on West is ongoing. More people would join the wrong decision side if West’s son, Ryan West, decides to leave the Lakers and join the Clippers as was rumored earlier this offseason.
Los Angeles Lakers
However, it may not have been the Lakers deciding to pass on West as much as he was passing on them. In an interview with Tim Kawakami of The Athletic (a paid subscription is required), West said he would not have gone back to the purple-and-gold even if they had asked.
"Absolutely not. I had no contact with the Lakers. Honestly, I would’ve never gone back there even if they would’ve contacted me. Never had any conversations, never had a desire there. I knew that would’ve never happened."
This is something that will pain plenty of Lakers fans. Seeing one of their all-time greats try and push the rival Clippers to the next level is not something many people thought they would see in their wildest dreams.
West has already been a driving force in turning around one downtrodden California franchise; now he is trying to make it two with the Clippers. The Clippers have a big hill to climb to get out of the Lakers’ shadow, but West is confident that owner Steve Ballmer has what it takes to get to that level, and he wants to help them achieve that goal.
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While there are many Lakers fans who love West, you can bet they will not be cheering for him to succeed with the Lakers Staples Center co-tenants in the Clippers. It would be a fitting end for West to end his career with the Lakers, but for now, that does not seem to be in the plans for the Lakers or West.