Despite all the fame and riches that comes with being an NBA star, winning a championship remains the ultimate goal. Even though winning a title is commendable, defending that title in the next season is a different ball game. Unfortunately, LeBron James’ 2020 Lakers didn’t even get an opportunity to do that.
Advertisement
During a recent appearance on Games With Names, Jeanie Buss expressed regret over not providing that opportunity to her team in 2021. The 2020 Lakers, led by LeBron and Anthony Davis, dominated the NBA bubble and secured a historic championship, only to be dismantled in the offseason.
Looking back, Buss acknowledged that breaking up that team may not have been the right call, as she wondered how things might have played out if they had been given another chance.
She said, “I kind of came from the philosophy, kind of inspired by Phil Jackson that when a team wins a championship, they should have the right to defend their championship. And we didn’t do that, and I regret that.”
Jackson won 11 championships in his legendary coaching career. Nine of them came from three-peats and two from winning back-to-back titles with the late, great Kobe Bryant’s Lakers.
It’s now a big ‘what if’ question over the potential the 2020 Lakers had. Buss said she also apologized to Markieff Morris, who recently rejoined the team in the blockbuster trade that brought Luka Doncic to LA, for breaking up the team.
She said, “I told him, I said, ‘I’m really sorry that we didn’t get a chance for you to defend that championship and I’m really glad you’re here.’” Even though they have Morris back in the organization, the second-most important player in the 2020 squad, AD is no longer a Laker.
This year, the Lakers are in a great rhythm. They are currently the third-best team in the Western Conference with a 40-23 record, have won eight of their last 10 games, and are 25-7 at home. If they manage to bring the 18th championship for the franchise, Buss might not repeat her mistake and will probably give this team a chance to defend their title.
