LOS ANGELES Kobe Bryant wants Jerry West back in the Los Angeles Lakers family.

And no, Bryant firmly said, he has not demanded the Lakers trade him.

Bryant is adamant in his belief that West can build the Lakers back into a title contender, just like West did when he was the general manager and architect that helped build the Lakers into a team that won three consecutive championships at the start of this decade.

West, who turned 69 Monday, was general manager of the Lakers from 1982 to 2000 before stepping down and handing over the duties to his friend, Mitch Kupchak, who has declined to comment.

West has said on July 1 he will leave the job he has held for the past five seasons, as president of basketball operations with the Memphis Grizzlies.

The Lakers could talk to West then, but West, who still has a home in Bel-Air and is supposed to be building one in his home state of West Virginia, has said he will retire.

Bryant, who has four years and $88.6 million left on his contract, said he wants to stay with the Lakers and wants West to be part of the building process. According to an ESPN report, Bryant said if the Lakers don't want to do that, they might as well trade him.

"I'm not demanding anything," Bryant said by phone late Sunday night. "I'm not making any threats. I didn't say that. Those words didn't come out of my mouth about a trade. I'm just making a suggestion. I think Jerry West is one of the greatest to ever do this thing. It's undeniably so.

"When he becomes available (when) the man that drafted me, that molded me my years in the league, is available ... We have an issue here the past three years and we've passed on great players who are all friends of mine, and three years go by and we're still sitting here in the same spot."

Bryant has maintained a close relationship with West and said he knows Lakers coach Phil Jackson would have no problem with West returning.

"I want to make sure to say that I'm not getting after people," Bryant said. "I'm not getting after my teammates, getting after Mitch, (player personnel director) Jim Buss. People could look at that and say, He may think they are incompetent or can't get the job done.' No. Don't look at it that way.

"Think of it in terms of you have the opportunity to get one of the best to ever do it. It's more of Jerry West's brilliance than anything else."

Bryant had one last thing to say about a supposed trade demand.

"I never even uttered those words," he said. "I haven't spoken to anybody about it. I haven't demanded nothing to nobody. I don't want to even think about that. I love it out here.

"I started my career out here. I want to finish it here. My wife is from out here. My kids love it out here. I don't want to even think about going someplace else. I don't want to go no place else."