The "what ifs" in basketball are as endless as a Steph Curry three-pointer from the logo. Danny Green’s got one of those tantalizing scenarios about his time with the Lakers.
What Could’ve Been: The Lakers’ Missed Dynasty
Danny Green, a guy who’s snagged rings with the Spurs, Raptors, and Lakers, has a hot take: his 2020 Lakers squad could’ve gone back-to-back if they hadn’t been split up. You know, the classic "if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it" situation. GM Rob Pelinka had other ideas, though, shaking things up by letting key players like Avery Bradley, Dwight Howard, and Rajon Rondo walk away. Oh, and Green himself got shipped off too. It’s like breaking up a band right after their first hit album.
Green’s got some thoughts on this, saying, โThe team wasnโt the same after. Guys went to different places and got traded, so we werenโt able to run it back.โ He even chatted about it on Dwight Howard’s podcast, musing, โHe thinks we wouldโve gotten a three-peat. I say we wouldโve got two. I donโt know if we wouldโve done three but I think for sure if that team wouldโve stayed together, we couldโve gotten a second one.โ I think he’s onto somethingโcontinuity is underrated in sports, don’t you agree?
The Trade That Changed It All
So, here’s how it went down: the Lakers swapped Danny Green and the draft rights to Jaden McDaniels to the Thunder for Dennis Schroder. At first, it seemed like a solid move. The Lakers were cruising with a 21-6 record. But then, bam! Injuries hit harder than a Shaq screen. LeBron and AD both went down, and suddenly, the Lakers were looking at a seventh seed finish. It’s like when you’re cruising in a video game and then your controller dies. Total buzzkill.
Injury Bug Bites Hard
Frank Vogel’s crew ended up getting bounced in the first round by the Suns. They were actually up 2-1 in the series and leading Game 4 until AD’s groin decided it had enough. After that, Phoenix took three straight games to send the Lakers packing. It’s tough to watch your team unravel because of injuries, like watching a Jenga tower wobble before it collapses.
21 MINUTES OF THE 2020 LAKERS BEING ICONIC
But hey, hindsight is 20/20, right? Speaking of trades, did you catch that wild Curry rumor? Anyway, do you think the Lakers would’ve been unstoppable if they’d kept the band together? Or was it just not meant to be?
