The Los Angeles Lakers were eliminated from the 2021 NBA playoffs at the hands of the Phoenix Suns, finishing a season full of ups and downs for them. Given how things went for the team in the final months of the regular season and during the six games of their first-round series, there are plenty of doubts surrounding the 17-time NBA champions right now.
LeBron James isn’t getting any younger, and he didn’t look like the bubble LeBron that took this team to the promised land last year. If that wasn’t’ enough, Anthony Davis’ body was a big issue for the team. He missed a lot of games during the regular season and a couple more against the Suns.
Pairing James and Davis appeared to be the recipe for success for the Lakers, but many fans believed they gave up a lot for two players that couldn’t deliver this year. One of those is SB Nation’s Jordan Cummings, who reminded people that the Lakers got rid of 8 young players who had terrific seasons only to win a ring.
Lakers really sacrificed:
Julius Randle
Brandon Ingram
Lonzo Ball
Jordan Clarkson
D’Angelo Russell
Josh Hart
Larry Nance
For one chip.
Lakers really sacrificed:
Julius Randle
Brandon Ingram
Lonzo Ball
Jordan Clarkson
DeAngelo Russell
Josh Hart
Larry Nance
For one chip
— Jordan Cummings (@j_d_cummings) June 4, 2021
NBA fans reacted to this agreeing with Cummings, while others said the Lakers couldn’t keep all these players together and pay to all of them.
a bubble mickey mouse chip at that
— Orr Agam (@lightlake85) June 4, 2021
So if Memphis traded Morant, Brooks, Bane, Allen, Anderson, JJJ, and Tillman for one chip followed by a decade of being trash, is that a good move?
— Jordan Cummings (@j_d_cummings) June 4, 2021
That's the core of a roster for a decade.
— Jordan Cummings (@j_d_cummings) June 4, 2021
Well…
1) That’s 1 more championship than 11 franchises
2) That’s the same amount of championships as 9 franchises
3) None of those guys are even close to AD
4) You can’t pay all those guys so it’s useless hypothesizing about them all still on the Lakers
— Nick Barbarino (@nsbarbarino) June 4, 2021
Well…
1) That’s 1 more championship than 11 franchises
2) That’s the same amount of championships as 9 franchises
3) None of those guys are even close to AD
4) You can’t pay all those guys so it’s useless hypothesizing about them all still on the Lakers
— Nick Barbarino (@nsbarbarino) June 4, 2021
Starters:
Lonzo
Hart
Ingram
LeBron
Randle
Bench:
Clarkson
Russell
Kuzma
Nance
You're telling me that's not a top 5 roster in the league? 🧐
— Jordan Cummings (@j_d_cummings) June 4, 2021
Phoenix has never won a chip since est 1968, Utah Jazz 0 since est 1974…get used to fact that Lakers are always in the mix every era not to be good but to win it all. Some teams will never win, period.
— destro (@geekydestro) June 4, 2021
https://twitter.com/DrewUnga/status/1400702608180846594
I'll take the one chip 100% of the time…
— GoLakers! (@JLCLakers) June 4, 2021
AD has one good ligament in his whole damn body
— Jordan Cummings (@j_d_cummings) June 4, 2021
You act like those are outstanding players or something! pic.twitter.com/FCHEIayXnl
— Wayne (@EDewayne02) June 4, 2021
By the time Lebron is done with the Lakers, they will be left with no picks and resources will be slim to none. Take it from a heat fan.
— D. Nasty (@dnasty5o) June 4, 2021
He played next to LeBron.
Lakers player development failed him and the front office pulled the plug early to compete sooner.
Same applies for pretty much all the other guys listed.
— Jordan Cummings (@j_d_cummings) June 4, 2021
It’s absolutely worth the chip. You do what it takes to hang a banner. They got it done. Maybe they can re-tool and make a healthy run at it next year now that they have a real off-season. But that’s gravy.
— Pistol Pete⏱ (@PeteOfTheMoment) June 4, 2021
Oh boy… a lot to say here…
1) Ever hear of a salary cap? How do you expect to keep this team together?
2) Do you think Lebron comes here if the plan was to only roll with the talent on the roster?
— Go Clips Go (@v00d00ch1ld32) June 4, 2021
One bad full season piled with injuries & we’re looking back at this? Lol Lakers won a title the year after the trade & were gifted with the shortest off season in nba history. There’s a bunch of talent in those names the Lakers had but let’s not act like LA is in trouble lol
— Scottie Barrientos (@Scottieee_) June 4, 2021
The Lakers let Julius Randle, D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson, Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, Larry Nance Jr., and Thomas Bryant go over the past couple of seasons. They landed big names in the process, especially Anthony Davis in the summer of 2019.
We’ll never know how things would have played out for the Lakers if they kept their young core. Instead, they won the 2020 NBA championship, and for most fans, that’s worth the sacrifice.
Hopefully, the Californians will try to bounce back next year with Anthony Davis and LeBron James healthy and ready to dominate again. These 8 players have indeed become good assets for their respective teams, but it doesn’t seem like the Lakers are bothered.
