Lakers News: Ryan West promoted to director of player personnel, according to report

The Los Angeles Lakers have promoted assistant director of scouting Ryan West to director of player personnel, according to the L.A. Times' Eric Pincus. In addition to being the son of legendary Lakers' player and executive Jerry West, Ryan West has worked in an NBA front office since 2002, spending 8 years as a scout for the Memphis Grizzlies before being hired as a scout for the Lakers in 2009.

As Pincus notes, West was also reportedly one of the chief advocates for the Lakers' draft day acquisition of 1st team All-Rookie Selection Jordan Clarkson, who averaged 16.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.4 assists post All-Star break in his strong debut campaign.

While his father Jerry is obviously the much more vaunted executive, here is what Ryan himself had to say to Bleacher Report's Kevin Ding about their similar taste in talent:

"I don't know if that's his influence or not, but we pretty much like the same kind of players, it seems like," Ryan said. "His guidance probably did help formulate my opinion on what I look for in a player."

Both Wests are partial to really athletic players. Ryan believes something about a guy should pop out as a clear NBA talent—whether it's as abstract as communicating on defense or as simplistic as playing hard—while he observes that guy in a game.

Earlier this offseason, Sam Amick of USA Today reported that Vlade Divac and the Sacramento Kings had "serious interest" in bringing West in to join their front office. While that obviously never came to fruition, this promotion would presumably raise West's salary in order to ward off future attempts to pry the man who some say could be the Lakers' GM in waiting from the front office.