Lakers Don't Deserve All The Credit For LeBron Signing, Jerry West Says

The Los Angeles Lakers won the race to sign LeBron James — the top free agent of the summer — earlier this month, but former Lakers player Jerry West does not believe the franchise deserves too much credit for pulling off the move.

The small forward opted to exercise his player option and opted out of his remaining one-year deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers thus becoming a free agent this off-season. There was a scramble from a number of NBA franchises to secure his services ahead of the 2018-19 season.

The Houston Rockets, the Philadelphia 76ers and a number of other franchises were linked with moves for arguably one the greatest players in NBA history. It was finally the Lakers that managed to move ahead of the queue and secure him on a $153 million four-year deal.

It was seen as a major feat for Magic Johnson — the president of basketball operations for the Lakers — and Rob Pelinka — the general manager, who were under pressure to bring in a big name free agent this summer. And it does not get any bigger than James — the four-time MVP and three-time NBA champion.

However, former player West, who played for the Lakers for 14 years between 1960-74 believes the Los Angeles franchise should not take all the credit for pulling off the biggest signing of the off-season. He believes James’ desire to move to LA played a major role in helping them sign him ahead of other teams.

The former Cavaliers small forward is said to have been keen to move to Los Angeles — one of the reasons being his son James junior going to school in the city. West also believes that while he'll still be a celebrity, the opportunity for some anonymity which was not available in Cleveland pushed him to make the move.

"All due respect to the Lakers, who handled everything well, but as these things go, LeBron was not a tough free-agent signing. LeBron wanted to come to L.A. and he wanted to come to the Lakers. Period,” West said, as per the Bleacher Report.

"He has a family he's thinking about. He has a home here. He has a son whom he wants to keep in one school in Los Angeles. He will be a celebrity out here, sure, but it's a place where, once in a while, he can get lost, be himself. You can't do that everywhere."

West also defended James with regards to any criticism he receives for leaving his hometown team — the Cavaliers — and moving to another franchise. This time around the supporters have been more understanding, but he came in for heavy criticism when he left the Cavaliers for the first time in 2010 to join the Miami Heat.

The former Lakers player believes the players are right in choosing to play for any franchise they wish to and owe nothing to the city or the team’s they play for. He also spoke about Kevin Durant, who continues to be criticized for leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder and joining the Golden State Warriors.

“It’s mind-boggling to me how people have gotten mad at these guys, like Kevin Durant and LeBron, for leaving,” West said, as quoted on Clutch Points. “The way I see it, no player owes any city an apology. Certainly not LeBron, who has done so much for Cleveland. Hell, I wish I had had some freedom to move when I was playing.”