It sure sounds like Jerry West would have preferred to stay with the Golden State Warriors.
The Golden State Warriors had another offseason that made everyone turn their heads. They managed to keep their roster together and add even more talent to it. That’s something that is tough for championship teams to accomplish. There was one big departure from the team however; Jerry West.
West played a big part in helping the Golden State Warriors become a championship organization yet again and his mark was felt. Then he left for the Los Angeles Clippers and it seemed as if he was returning home to begin a new challenge.
It turns out that he wanted to stay with the Warriors. Speaking with Tim Kawakami of The Athletic, West mentioned how sad he was to leave the franchise.
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“Frankly it was very sad, OK? It really was,” West said. “A place where I thought that if I was going to work another year or if somebody wanted me to work another year, I thought I could contribute; I did not want to leave.” West said “I did not want to leave. I was very happy there.”
West also mentioned in the interview that he hopes the Warriors continue to have the success that they’re having and how tough it is going to be for other teams to catch. He specifically made mention of wanting to see Kevin Durant win more championships.
At the time of his original decision, West’s departure felt like it was his decision and his alone. His latest comments are certainly intriguing and there’s obviously more to this than is out there currently. What can be said is that like with all things, West is handling his departure with the class and elegance one would come to expect from him.
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It’s easy to get bitter or have ill will toward a previous organization, but West knows all the special things that happened during his time in the bay. He deserves all the respect in the world and now has an opportunity to help take the Clippers to the next level.