Jerry West: 'If I had an opportunity to leave the Lakers I would have'

There are a handful of worthy candidates, but any conversation about the greatest Laker of all-time would be invalid without the inclusion of Jerry West.

And yet, had free agency been available to players during his era as it is today, The Logo would have taken his talents elsewhere.

"Free agency gives you a right to choose where you want to play," West explained on The TK Show with Tim Kawakami. "I remember years ago, if I had an opportunity to leave the Lakers I would have left."

Many factors fed into his discontent, but West took particular exception with Lakers ownership.

"I did not like an owner that was not telling me the truth," West said. "It would have made no difference what they would have offered me, I would have left."

West, who now serves as an adviser with the Golden State Warriors, was speaking to the criticism hurled towards Kevin Durant for his decision to leave Oklahoma City. West argues that it's entirely in Durant's rights to change employers when he had the opportunity.

The chance to do so wasn't available to West, and he's happy that the likes of Oscar Robertson fought for the right for players to dictate their own future.

"It’s easy to say after the fact, but players have earned the right to go where they want to go," West added.