Image Source: X
[Saba Sports News] Jerry West’s relationship with the Los Angeles Lakers ended on a sour note, a painful topic for the basketball legend who passed away last week at 86. A recent report delved into the details of West’s falling out with the Lakers.
In an article on his subscription-based site “House of Strauss,” Ethan Strauss explained the rift between West and the Lakers.
According to Strauss, Jeanie Buss cut ties with West after taking over the team following her father Jerry Buss’s death in 2013, even revoking the lifetime season tickets he had been granted.
The report indicates that Jeanie Buss was upset with West for criticizing her relationship with Phil Jackson, the Lakers’ head coach at the time. Jackson, who coached the Lakers in two stints (1999-2004 and 2005-2011), had a contentious history with West dating back to their playing days. West left the Lakers after Jackson’s first season as head coach in 2000.
West, a legendary player and front office architect of the “Showtime Lakers” who won five championships, worked with the Lakers from 1979-2000 before moving to the Memphis Grizzlies (2002-2007). In 2017, West sought to return to the Lakers but reportedly did not align with Jeanie’s vision for the team.
In 2022, West expressed how hurt he was by the revocation of his lifetime season tickets. In 2021, he also voiced his displeasure over a separate snub from Jeanie Buss.