It’s no secret that the relationship between the Los Angeles Lakers and franchise legend Jerry West had soured over many years. West is one of the most important people in the history of the organization both with his work as a player and an executive, but he and Lakers owner Jeanie Buss seemed to have some differences that were never worked out.
One of the biggest moves West made as Lakers general manager was the hiring of head coach Phil Jackson, who would go on to bring the franchise five championships. Jackson would also enter into a relationship with Buss and apparently that was something West wasn’t too fond of.
According to Baxter Holmes of ESPN, West was uncomfortable with the relationship between Jackson and Buss and those concerns added to an already tense situation:
But West, then the team’s general manager, pushed Dr. Buss to hire Phil Jackson, a decision that would come to define an entire era of Lakers dominance. Multiple staffers present at the time said the decision to hire Jackson over Rambis sparked friction between Rambis and West as well as between West and Rambis’ wife, Linda, the Lakers’ executive director of special projects who is a close friend and confidant of Jeanie Buss, now the team’s governor.
In the ensuing months, a second element compounded the tension: the romantic relationship between Jeanie and Jackson, a partnership West was uncomfortable with and one about which he privately voiced his concerns to confidants. Word of his displeasure eventually reached Jeanie.
A personal relationship between a team’s head coach and the daughter of the owner of that team can certainly complicate matters and West could have been concerned with the dynamics of that and how it could affect the Lakers organization.
It is unfortunate that this led to an estranged relationship between the Lakers and West that was never fixed prior to his passing in June. That being said, West will always be one of the most prominent figures in Lakers history.
Jerry West believes son was collateral damage in feud with Lakers
The problems between Jerry West and the Lakers affected many people, one of whom was apparently his son Ryan, who worked for the Lakers as director of player personnel. Not long after Jerry joined the Los Angeles Clippers as a consultant, following the Lakers not reaching out to him for a potential return, it was announced that Ryan West would be leaving the organization.
This was something that reportedly didn’t sit well with Jerry, who felt his son was ‘collateral damage’ in his feud with the Lakers and believed they let Ryan go because of him.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!