If Jerry West had his way, he would be back in charge of the Los Angeles Lakers front office right now.
Bill Oram of the Orange County Register revealed on Wednesday just how badly the Lakers legend wanted to return to the team.
Per Oram:
Before [Jeanie] Buss hired Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka in February to lead the Lakers’ front office, West was regarded as a candidate to rejoin the mix, and those close to the Hall of Famer have indicated he was excited about a potential homecoming.
“He wanted it more than anything,” one source said.
We had previously heard that the 79-year-old Hall of Famer, currently an executive for the Golden State Warriors, was at least interested in a return to the Lakers but that he did not match ownership’s vision for the future. A return to Los Angeles may still be in play however, as the Clippers are reported to have interest in hiring West to an advisory role.
