Later, during negotiations with O'Neal, there was repeated back-and-forth as they made extensive efforts to free up space for signing him.
It wasn't until the last moment that O'Neal decided to sign the contract offered by the Lakers, letting West finally breathe a sigh of relief.
He was then sent to the hospital, hooked up to IV fluid in the intensive care unit for several days due to extreme stress.
He held on long enough to host the signing press conference with O'Neal in Los Angeles, and when he returned home, his wife and children had prepared a celebration banquet for him.
West said that moment of joy rivaled winning the championship in Portland in 1990, but soon after, he realized his depression had resurfaced.
"How is Jerry doing these days?" Gan Guoyang asked with concern upon hearing about West's depression relapse.
