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After a season that lasted almost a year, the LA Lakers clinched their 17th NBA Championship. The LeBron James-led team dominated teams in the postseason, and were not stretched to Game 7 in any playoff series. The LA Lakers planned extremely well, building a roster that maximized the strengths of LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Let's take a look at 5 Decisions made by the LA Lakers organization that eventually led to them winning their 17th NBA Championship.
5 decisions made by the LA Lakers organization that helped them win their 17th NBA Championship
#1. Signing LeBron James in 2018
The LA Lakers struggled throughout the past decade, missing out on the playoffs as a result of poor roster management. However, Lakers legend and then president of basketball operations Magic Johnson turned the tide, convincing LeBron James to sign a 4-year deal with the historic franchise.
A 3 time NBA champion at that point, James took a huge risk with his legacy, considering he had to play with a young team. After missing the playoffs in his first year, there were doubts over the kind of impact LeBron James was going to have.
However, the move turned out to be a masterstroke for everyone involved, as LeBron James was the catalyst behind LA Lakers' 17th NBA championship.
#2. Trading for Anthony Davis last off-season
After chasing multiple free agents like Paul George and Kawhi Leonard over the years, the Lakers finally got their call answered the last offseason as they were able to trade for star power forward Anthony Davis.
The franchise had to depart with promising young players in exchange for the former New Orleans Pelicans man. The trade was criticized by many, with pundits saying the Lakers had given too much away for Davis.
However, Anthony Davis extinguished all doubts over his fit with the Lakers as he proved to be the perfect foil to LeBron James in the team's historic championship win.
#3. Trusting Rob Pelinka with the General Manager role
Rob Pelinka's role in the Lakers' championship run is quite underrated. Pelinka's reputation amongst his colleagues is not great, considering his history as a player agent.
Pelinka, who was hired as the Lakers General Manager in March 2017, has helped transform the Lakers roster and basketball operations department. Pelinka orchestrated one of the biggest trades in franchise history last offseason, acquiring six-time All-Star Anthony Davis, and signing key free agents to the revamped roster.
Pelinka also retooled the coaching staff, hiring a veteran group with a variety of experience. He entered the Lakers organization as Kobe Bryant's agent, and now can claim to be the architect of the team's success.
#4. Replacing Luke Walton with Frank Vogel as the head coach
After an underwhelming end to the 2018/19 season which saw them miss the playoffs, the Lakers decided to part ways with Luke Walton. With media speculation around the reason behind Walton's departure being LeBron James and the team in turmoil, the Lakers appointed Frank Vogel as the new head coach.
The former Boston Celtics assistant's hiring was scrutinized by the fans, as the general consensus was that Tyronn Lue should have been hired due to his relationship with LeBron James. However, the decision turned out to be the correct one, as Vogel's defensive schemes played an integral part in helping the Lakers win their 17th NBA title.
#5. Signing the right role players to complement Anthony Davis and LeBron James
Following Davis' trade, the Lakers' front office had another huge task at hand - picking up the right role players and veterans from the market. Rob Pelinka and team performed it to perfection, signing experienced stars like Danny Green, Rajon Rondo, Dwight Howard, and Avery Bradley.
Although there were doubts over the effectiveness of the Lakers' role players at the beginning of the season, the players soon put it to rest. Players like Rondo and Dwight Howard came good in the playoffs, playing an instrumental part in the Lakers' success.
They had the right blend of championship experience and tactical nous, as they helped the Lakers march towards an NBA championship win.
Guess the Lakers players!
