#5 Jerry West
If the overall contribution to the franchise was the main consideration on this list, Jerry West would be the runaway winner. In over 40 years of service as a player, coach, and executive, West left an everlasting impact on the Lakers.
Drafted in 1962, West formed one of the most deadly duos in the league with Baylor and together they led LA to 7 NBA Finals, but unfortunately lost all of them. He was actually the Finals MVP in 1969, thereby becoming the only player to date to ever win the award despite losing the series.
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Over the years, West's role evolved from that as a scorer to a distributor and it was a sign of his greatness that he flipped into one of the best playmakers in the league in an instant. After leading the league in scoring in 1970, he then led the league in assists in 1972, the year when the Lakers finally broke through to win the title.
While he is often remembered as an offensive force, being a terrific shooter and playmaker, a fact that often goes unnoticed is that he was actually a pretty good defender. West made the NBA All-Defensive Team 5 years in a row once they started the award back in 1968.
He currently ranks 2nd in points and 3rd in assists in franchise history, but his influence on the Lakers can't just be measured by numbers. He is as responsible as anyone for the success the Lakers have had over the years.
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