You look back at most of the championship teams in the NBA, there is something common often. They don’t just abruptly break off. One rare instance could be the 2019 Toronto Raptors. However, there it was Kawhi Leonard—the player who wanted to leave. But just a year later, when the Los Angeles Lakers won in the bubble, nobody wanted to leave. It was a special year with unique circumstances. And the team spirit was off the charts! Still, the decision was made to make major changes.

Rob Pelinka later regretted it, saying, “we changed the way our roster was constructed. It didn’t work”. As for the owner, Jeanie Buss, she failed to honor an ideology legendary coach Phil Jackson left her with. “When a team wins a championship, they should have the right to defend their championship,” he told her.

Hence, when talking with former Patriots receiver Julian Edelman in her appearance on Names With Games podcast about the team, even she couldn’t get her decision out of her head. So much so that when the Luka Doncic trade took place, she reserved an apology for a returning member of that 2019-20 Lakers squad, Markieff Morris.

“I regret that. And one of the players on the list, Markieff Morris, just rejoined the team in the trade for Luka. He was one of the players that came and um 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’,” Buss said.

This isn’t even the first time she’s sat across a player and said so. Notably, Jeanie Buss also went on Dwight Howard’s podcast a while back to clear out what happened with his contract negotiations. But although time has gone by, Laker Nation can’t help but wonder what may have been. Moreover, Buss’ confession intensifies those feelings.

How the Lakers shot down their best chance

The 2019-20 Lakers were more than just a well-balanced roster. As the pandemic hit, staying for the remainder of the season confined in hotel rooms wasn’t easy for many players. It was the greatest mental challenge. There was no way of finding relief after a bad game, just the silence encompassing the walls of their rooms.

However, the camaraderie that existed between the Lakers made things far better for them. The Purple and Gold were well knit and their connection thrived during the bubble. Their offense wasn’t particularly well set during the regular season. But by the time the postseason came around, every repair was made.

The team recorded a 115.6 offensive rating, the second-best mark during the entire playoffs. However, their strength was their defense. The likes of Danny Green and Avery Bradley gave backcourt nightmares. Then there was Howard and JaVale McGee, who could apply pressure to opposing centers.

In that debut season of the LeBron James–Anthony Davis tandem, Los Angeles nearly reached their full potential. They went 16-5 in the playoffs and then that was it.

Since then, their judgment errors about keeping the roster together have backfired. The Lakers never made it to the NBA Finals once since then. Moreover, the Denver Nuggets became their kryptonite, the same team they vanquished comfortably in the bubble. But now those hopes have sparked again.

JJ Redick is churning a Lakers team that plays with great energy and activity. Moreover, the arrival of Luka Doncic has manifested ravishing results so far. But will this be the team that helps Laker Nation and Buss forget about her 2020 debacle?