“One disappointing thing [about my career] is that my relationship with the Lakers is horrible.”
He played, coached, and served as general manager for the Lakers for the longest duration of his career. But why did Jerry West leave the Lakers, as many fans asked when he unexpectedly left the team he had led to victory in 2002? We know the following.
Following his gold medal-winning performance leading the United States Olympic Team in the Olympic Games in Rome, he was selected by the now-defunct Minneapolis Lakers (later renamed the Los Angeles Lakers). Jerry was voted “Finals MVP” despite the fact that the club would lose the majority of its title games. Mr. Clutch was another moniker given to him for his crucial plays in big games.
Jerry would have to wait ten years to win a title, but he never gave up or lost heart.
This occurred against the Knicks following their four-game winning streak following their first-game defeat. Jerry played basketball for 14 years and was a part of nine NBA finals with the squad.
When the 36-year-old decided to give up basketball in 1974, he was excited to return. He was hired as the Lakers’ head coach in 1976. In the end, he became general manager in the 1980s and contributed to the team’s overall success.
Jerry is recognized for putting together the ideal squad that would rule the court. For instance, he traded center Vlade Divac for Kobe Bryant and signed Shaquille O’Neal as a free agent. They were able to win three titles in a row from 2000 to 2002 because of this.
Jerry West left the Lakers for what reason?
In 2002, Jerry joined the Memphis Grizzlies after leaving the Lakers. Considering his great tenure with the team, this was unexpected. It was thought at the time that he was looking for a fresh challenge, and assembling a brand-new team would provide it to him. However, it appears that the Lakers were offended by this because they declined to rehire him in 2017. There are also rumors that his season tickets were canceled.
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