There is no doubt that Jerry West is a historic basketball player and one of the most important figures in Los Angeles Lakers‘ history.
So why on Earth is the team treating him so poorly?
There have been multiple instances of the Lakers doing West dirty but the latest offense seems to be the last straw for West.
What exactly did LA do to the legend and is there any way they can fix the problems they created?
The Logo Speaks Out
Every NBA fan knows West – in fact, even people who don’t like basketball know him.
That’s because West is so iconic that his figure was incorporated into the official NBA logo.
That’s right, West is the silhouette you see dribbling the ball in logo the NBA logo that has graced courts, jerseys, and official merchandise since 1969.
Since native Appalachian Jerry West is trending, it's worth noting that he is the outline of the NBA logo pic.twitter.com/EHIcxrM8Tk
— Appodlachia Podcast (@appodlachia) February 1, 2022
You can’t deny the man’s legacy.
And you can’t deny that he’s an important part of the Lakers too: not only as a player but as an executive too.
The hall of fame figure was a terrific executive for the Lakers and was part of the front office during the Showtime era and as well as when the team landed both Kobe Bryant (who loved West) and Shaquille O’Neal.
Despite all that, things couldn’t be worse between the West and the Lakers.
West recently told The Athletic that the relationship was ruined recently when the team decided to take away his season tickets, which he was supposed to have for life according to the late Dr. Jerry Buss.
“It was a cold phone text to my wife. No one had the nerve to call me, but that’s how petty they are, OK? And I love the Lakers, OK? I love to see them do well. It’s great for basketball. I’m proud of everything that happened when I was there. I’m proud of everything that happened when I wasn’t there — the positives. But sometimes you feel like you’re discarded, like a piece of trash.”
It’s nearly impossible to defend an action like that.
There is no excuse for taking away his season tickets and no excuse for the way the team handled it.
“My relationship with the Lakers is horrible…
When I look back, I say, ‘Well, maybe I should have played somewhere else instead of with the Lakers, where someone would have at least appreciated how much you give, how much you cared.’”
– Jerry West
(via @sam_amick) pic.twitter.com/nnADPcwZmB
— ProCity Hoops (@ProCityHoops) February 1, 2022
While West didn’t blame that incident on Jeanie Buss, he certainly didn’t cast her in a great light, saying “I always had a great relationship with Jeanie — at least I thought I did. I don’t know where it is now.”
Yet, even is the Lakers fix this problem, the damage might be too much to repair.
No Going Back?
This isn’t the first offense that has sent West reeling.
Recently, Buss angered West when she didn’t name him as one of her five most important Lakers of all time.
But things go back even further.
Several years ago, rumor has it that West wanted to return to be an exec for the Lakers but Los Angeles didn’t want to make space for him, causing him to head to the Clippers instead.
Plus, the relationship was strained even more when the team let go of West’s son, Ryan, who was a scout for the team.
All in all, it looks like the Lakers are going out of their way to treat West poorly and that’s a bad, bad look.
Here’s hoping they can attempt to mend the fences and make things right but, based on what West said, that ship may have sailed.
NEXT: 2 Ways The Lakers Can Replace LeBron James In The Rotation
