Jerry West, who passed away earlier this year, laments the impact the Lakers had on his son, Ryan, in 2019.
“I almost wish,” West told ESPN, “that I had never played or worked for them.”
Ryan’s time with the Lakers came to an end when the Clippers acquired Kawhi Leonard and then Paul George.
The Clippers were able to land these two stars partly due to Jerry West, who had worked with the organization since 2017.
“The day after Leonard joined the Clippers, the team traded for star swingman Paul George, instantly turning them into title contenders.
On July 27, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Ryan West, who had spent a decade with the Lakers and most recently served as the director of player personnel, was leaving the organization.
“Team sources indicated that Ryan’s departure was not voluntary. Two sources close to the situation stated that Ryan’s exit was due to a lack of opportunities for advancement within the franchise, as reported by ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne.
“Jerry had a different perspective.”
A week after his son’s departure, Jerry West said, “They let him go because of me.” Ryan was devastated, having dedicated over a decade to the organization.
“He considered his son, who now works as a pro personnel scout for the Detroit Pistons, to be collateral damage in his disagreements with Lakers’ leadership,” Holmes wrote.
“The Lakers declined to comment on this issue.
West stated that he apologized to Ryan, who he described as ‘devastated.’”
A former longtime Lakers executive likened the situation to a television drama.
“It’s like a soap opera,” the LA executive told ESPN. “There is fallout that is painful. Ryan seems to have paid the price for all this pettiness.”
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