RIP Jerry West

[danfantastk32]

Sad day for Laker fans. Sad day for NBA fans. Never got to watch him play, but I did get to see his GM skills in action. He will be missed! RIP Jerry.......life well lived.

[MAMBAEMD]

RIP

Forever a Laker legend

The fire and passion he had as a player and GM was rivaled by very few in the history the league.

[Slava]

RIP legend and likely the greatest laker of all time. He deserved a lot more from the franchise.

[Danny Darko]

The best in the business and the last scrap with us was a canary in a coal mine for this ownership team being incapable. RIP Jerry

[Landsberger]

One of the people who kept the NBA in business back in the 60's Ambassador for the game for 60 years.

The logo! well... at least for a few more years is my guess.

RIP

[sonnyhill]

Jerry West has always been one of my all-time favorites. I've read his books, studied his management style and admired his results everywhere he has gone.

Lifelong Laker fans should be horrified how years ago the Buss family chose Phil Jackson over Jerry West. Seeing West move on to Memphis, Golden State and the LA Clippers and watching how he had worked his magic for each of these franchises was just sad for longtime Laker fans to have to endure.

[scoobs07]

Jerry West inspired me to join this board back in 2001. I remember him nabbing Nick Van Excel in the second round. Nick the Quick went on to be an NBA all-star and one of the O.G. three-point snipers with handles. Now a days that is called a Steph Curry. Countless other moments as well. Some had Kobe mocked in the late teens. The man had an eye for talent. There will never be another Jerry West. It's like Lebron becoming a top-flight executive and having a better career doing that then he did as a player. Nowadays, GMs are more analytics oriented, or have a hybrid approach, but in terms of identifying talent, Jerry West is the GOAT.

[Beethoven]

The best days of dynastic Lakers when they ruled the NBA was during West's tenure.

RIP

[TylersLakers]

It bugs me so much that he had to work for the Golden State Warriors and Clippers over the last 10-15 years. That guy should've had a prominent advisory role in basketball operations the moment he was retired from day to day stuff.

EDIT- Rest in Peace Jerry. Thank you for everything. This man represented the purple and gold so much, it scarred him. He's talked openly about the mental struggles he's had due in large part to the losses he had to the Celtics.

And also because I became a Lakers fan because of Kobe - Jerry West is the reason I'm a Lakers fan. He brought Kobe here. Listening to Jerry talk about Kobe after he passed was one of the more difficult things to watch. I hope they're chopping it up and having a great time.

[EggIsCooling]

Under appreciated by Jerry’s kids especially Jeanie… responsible for two Lakers dynasties, and 1 up in the Bay Area… RIP Legend

[Jedi32]

RIP
#LakerLegend

[Anderson Hunt]

Please correct me if I'm wrong and add those I've missed. The significant players he brought in who became champs with the Lakers:
Scott (masterful)
Thompson (masterful)
Green (masterful)
Worthy (masterful)
Kobe (masterful)
Fisher (masterful)
Shaq (masterful)
Horry (masterful)
Fox (masterful)
Rice (just okay)

[stan francisco]

RIP, Logo. Your legacy will last forever.

His smarts on the court was perhaps only surpassed by his own smarts as a GM.

Thank you for all the joy and glory and pride that you brought all of us in Laker land!

[wco81]

The best in the business and the last scrap with us was a canary in a coal mine for this ownership team being incapable. RIP Jerry

Jerry West has always been one of my all-time favorites. I've read his books, studied his management style and admired his results everywhere he has gone.

Lifelong Laker fans should be horrified how years ago the Buss family chose Phil Jackson over Jerry West. Seeing West move on to Memphis, Golden State and the LA Clippers and watching how he had worked his magic for each of these franchises was just sad for longtime Laker fans to have to endure.

Under appreciated by Jerry’s kids especially Jeanie… responsible for two Lakers dynasties, and 1 up in the Bay Area… RIP Legend

Howard Beck talked about how West was basically pushed out, Phil Jackson didn't want to be overshadowed or something like that, even though West was the one who had acquired Shaq and Kobe.

Was it under appreciation or Jeannie was always going to side with her bf?

[EggIsCooling]

Was it under appreciation or Jeannie was always going to side with her bf?

It’s more than just Phil’s relationship… I don’t know Jerry West but he to me is a man of principles. I’ve heard Jerry spoke about Jim and Jeanie like they are his children (same with Kobe too) and seen photos of them as kids hanging out in Jerry’s office during his GM days with the Lakers. I believe when Jeanie pushed Jim out and in such a cutthroat manner, Jerry was livid, and if you know anything about Jerry West, he probably gave her an earful. You don’t do that to family. When Jeanie dated Phil while he’s coaching the Lakers, Jerry probably gave her an earful. In any other organizations, dating your subordinates and/or bosses is a no no. Any some cases, those involved are force to resigned or fired. There were many other things too related to Jeanie’s decisions which eventually led Jerry West to be forever estranged from the Lakers. It’s sad to see that the Clippers was first to issued a statement on Jerry West’s passing. So yeah under appreciated is mildly put. Jeanie is trying hard to bring back some resemblance of showtime, but she’s literally a poor owner. It’s time to let go and sell the team.

[danfantastk32]

Interesting read about Jerry and the broken relationship with the Lakers.

I feel like there was a little bit of a lean in West's view in the article. I also think that Jerry had a way of finding slights that weren't actually there. Or assume that little things that meant nothing by the perpetrator, were in fact deeply meaningful slights. By the end of his life....he was obsessed with this 'feud'.

That said.....there was clearly something there. I kind of understand the Lakers retracting his tickets when he went and worked for the Clippers, and made the comment he did towards the Lakers. But it is just really really sad to see that it had to end that way. It was doubly sad to hear that his son Ryan was booted from the team. It may have not been as retaliatory as Jerry West felt...but Ryan was apparently "devastated" by the firing. It is a bummer that someone who meant so much to the team, and it's history, was so cast aside, and that the blood got so bad. Another major failure.

And of course the Rambi are involved....which is like strike 8 for the Rambi in my book. I dont know what they are doing here. Really would like to see the Buss family sell, and get the hell out

[SlimShady83]

Thanks for Bringing us Shaq ... Many thanks for seeing something In Kobe, would love to know what he saw In Kobe at that young age, If It's out there let me know .

[wco81]

Really personal stuff.

Like he hired Phil Jackson rather than Rambis, who had a good run as an interim HC and so the Rambises were alienated.

But then he didn't like Jeannie and Jackson's personal relationship.

I can see where Jeannie would feel a certain way about that but to fire Ryan? And now he's out of the NBA.

It's a good thing that the Lakers are such a huge brand. Because the way they're run, like a family business, is probably not the best way to do things.

They've done a great job of drafting and developing players, especially later FRPs and UDFAs. But they need superstars like LBJ and AD to sign with them in free agency or force their way there.

But is that something the current ownership is responsible for or what previous governors of the team built, along with the halo of LA and SoCal?

Lakers have to hope for someone like Luka or one or two other superstars already on max contracts in their mid 20s to just leave their current teams and sign with them, unless they somehow are able to draft the next generational player, like Magic.

[Anderson Hunt]

Reading the Baxter Holmes article, it seems like West was a victim of two scorned females.

Jerry West is quite easily the most important Laker of all-time, and he should've been treated as such.

[danfantastk32]

Reading the Baxter Holmes article, it seems like West was a victim of two scorned females.

Jerry West is quite easily the most important Laker of all-time, and he should've been treated as such.

I 99% agree with you....let me just start there. But, Jerry was also the victim of a haunted soul who found scorn and slights in every shadow. Yes...he has a right to think that the relationship between Jeanie and Phil was "unprofessional" or whatever. It's within everyone's right to "think" something. But to voice it....and enough that it got to Jeanie. He's popping off in whats none of his business. And then he left the Lakers (didn't get fired....quit....sighting he didn't feel loved or needed there)...and I think alot of that was demons of his own making.

My point being that Jerry played his role in how things got to where they got.

But that the FO allowed it to get so bad.....knowing that A) he was family, and B) this family member has some issues....and is a little difficult. We all have that family member...who takes it personal, and makes it personal. But you gotta work around it sometimes..they are family after all. The Lakers really needed to put their 'big boy pants' on...and sort it out. Even if it meant swallowing a couple unflattering remarks.

Did Ryan West get fired because of this? This is a point where I'd point to journalism failing. Could they have at least asked him, and put his answer in the article?! You know....journalism. Because, doesn't this story take a whole different light if Ryan comes out and says "look....my dad's comments made it weird for me, but it was never brought up. I'm not sure why I got fired, but it certainly wasn't because of my Dad" or something like that? I mean....it really changes the story. And inversely....if Ryan does feel like that was why he was fired...and Jerry's voiced that....why wouldn't the Lakers address this with the two, unless there was truth there.

Stuff like leaving West off the top-5 alltime Lakers is beans to me. Rubbish..who cares? I put Derek Fisher as meaning more to the Lakers than Lebron. Same with Worthy. And a host of others...INCLUDING HER FATHER. So...whatever, she was kissing Lebron's ass. It's a slight, but hardly worth a nickel. There's a dozen Lakers that got slighted there: Riley, Horry, Phil...I mean, I just don't think that was a slight at West....more of a careless kissing of Lebron's ass (which we all know is in full mode these days).

For what it's worth....I'd have dropped his 4 super-vip tickets the second he joined the Clippers too.

This issue with his son is so very key to all of this IMO. There's alot of "tit-for tat" stuff....but you can really make a case that this is pretty much all in his head...especially if Ryan didn't think he was fired for that reason, and said so. But them actually firing him over it changes all this completely. I mean....I know nothing of the guy. Was he late every day?? Hooked on the booger-sugar? A complete genius?? Some context here given by the journalist woulda gone a long way in me being able to make my own conclusions. Instead, I'm left taking several things at a different "Face value". And I do feel a slight lean in the article towards West's camp...which makes me suspect.


But either way....this man gave and gave and gave to the Lakers. And his multiple snipes and barbs in the media should have made it abundantly clear that he was upset with his place in Lakers. And I don't like that fact...nor does it look good...that this was unhandled, and allowed to grow to this level. The fact that it was...does show a lack of care. And it sorta makes his point!

Wearing his number on some band this year means exactly nothing to Jerry West. Him lying on his deathbed wishing he'd never been a Laker is about the saddest thing I can think of. So it's a treasonous failure right there...no matter who was right/wrong. "Loving Laker Mom" my arse.

It just shows me she doesn;'t get it. Either way. Family isn't something you turn on and off...depending on how the wind is blowing. That Jerry even joined the Clippers at all is a failure on everyone's part. At a time when we could have really used him, no less.

So I don;t know entirely what to think. Until this question of the firing is answered, it all could go either way. But if it was just a firing for "X" reason...then why the hell did they just leave Jerry out there in the wind thinking the worst? Knowing full well that that's how he's wired, no less? I suppose at some point, the Lakers and Ryan could come out and explain they told Jerry several times, and he didn't listen...and Jeanie could point to 4 unanswered phone calls. I guess there is a point where you'd have to admit that this was all West's fantasy...and they tried to fix it to no avail.....but ok then...so say it.

It's all weird, and it's another example of the Lakers failing to be this "family" they so carefully try and brand themselves as.