The Los Angeles Lakers parted ways with director of player personnel Ryan West on Saturday, according to Bill Oram of The Athletic.
Ryan West is the son of Hall of Famer and Los Angeles Clippers adviser Jerry West.
The younger West joined the Lakers front office in 2009 after previously spending seven years with the Memphis Grizzlies organization. He was promoted from assistant director of scouting to player personnel director in September 2015.
Per Oram, West has been credited with the selections of 2019 All-Star D’Angelo Russell (No. 2 overall in 2015) and Jordan Clarkson (46th overall in 2014).
Being the son of Jerry West, aka The Logo, carries some weight, especially since the elder West is a two-time NBA Executive of the Year and has won eight rings as an executive. However, Ryan has done his best to make a name for himself.
“I obviously do want to be my own man,” Ryan told Kevin Ding, then of Bleacher Report, in April 2014, “but I’m never going to forget where I came from.”
Of note, West arrived in L.A. while Mitch Kupchak—who Ryan told Ding was “like an uncle to me”—was the general manager. Kupchak was relieved of his duties with the Lakers in February 2017. He is now the GM for the Charlotte Hornets.
Courtesy: Bleacher Report
