Since winning a championship in 2020, Los Angeles Lakers governor Jeanie Buss is looking to return to the mountaintop. They have been unable to get back there since, although acquiring Luka Doncic this season has suddenly put them back into that conversation of contention.
If it is not this season, the hope is that a title can come soon with Doncic at the helm. Now that the Boston Celtics have passed L.A. with 18 championships, Buss needs to get the Lakers back in front of their historic rivals.
That 202 championship team was special though and they were unfortunately robbed of a chance at a parade and celebration due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. That is something Buss still thinks about to this day and she recently revealed she would like to find a way to honor that 2020 team if the organization wins another title, via SiriusXM NBA Radio:
“You can’t even think (about that) in your mind. We’ve got a first round opponent, we got to get past the first round. We are not going to take anything for granted. But certainly, if we were ever so fortunate as to win another championship, I would try to do something to honor that 2020 team that we didn’t get an opportunity to do that because we were under orders, in this county especially. No gatherings, and that would have been a super spreader even, if we would have had a parade. But it doesn’t mean we didn’t want to celebrate. So, some day down the line there will be.”
It is smart of Buss to keep their first-round matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves front and center, but championships are always the end goal for the Lakers. Plenty of challenges presented themselves during that 2020 season and the Lakers were a glimmer of light during those times.
Coronavirus forced everyone out of their social lives, but basketball continued to provide an outlet to escape all the negativity. Every title team deserves an opportunity to celebrate with their city and the Lakers never got that.
Whenever that next championship comes to L.A., it will be the first time two teams are honored, which is fitting given how historic this franchise is.
Jeanie Buss regrets not allowing 2020 championship team to defend title
After winning a championship, teams usually get the opportunity to run it back and defend their title. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case for the 2020 Lakers as they made a number of roster moves the following offseason.
Despite that 2020-21 team widely being viewed as a better overall roster, Jeanie Buss still regrets not giving the 2020 championship team a chance to defend their title.
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