A common narrative that I’ve seen about the early 2000s Lakers is that they would have still 3-peated if Shaq was paired with any all star guard during that time. That got me think whether Shaq could win with AI, Kidd, T Mac, Vince, Ray Allen or even Baron Davis. Imo I think he would have atleast went back to back with any of these players considering Kobe didn’t add much value in 2000.
There was a trade Phil Jackson wanted to make early on. Kobe for Jason Kidd and Shawn Marion. I loved Kobe as a player but I think lakers could have been just as good if not better with those three, j Kidd made average players look amazing.
The point guards its harder to assess because the roster construction has to change. For instance AI can’t defend like Kobe from a sheer tools standpoint. So they’d have to switch out D Fish for a different type of shooting guard.
I could see the SGs slotting in to fill the Kobe void considering the tools they all bring to the table. Its turn into a nature vs nurture debate similar to Tim Duncan vs Kevin Garnett. Kobe had by far the best career but how much did growing under Shaq and Phil bring that about?
The east has been so weak since the bulls minus a few years. Those west playoff series against the spurs, blazers, kings wouldn’t have been won without kobe.
Yeah.
League was looking to replace MJ as a mascot. Shaq sold and he was carrying anyone along with him…Kobe got lucky.
Tracy McGrady, Vince, Carter, and Ray Allen all could have taken Kobe’s spot and not miss a beat. The Kobe then is not the Kobe of his last 2 rings
Lol no, kobe unlike the rest could defend not to mention kobe was am massive reason in taking out the spurs.
You got a point about Carter
no, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise
Almost certainly, and he likely wouldn’t have been traded either lol
No zero chance
Play it ten more times with the same roster and they don’t threepeat. The Kings deserved one of those.
Nah he came up big down the stretch in too many playoff games during that three peat especially at times when shaq was off the court due to foul trouble. Kobe also wasn’t just another all star guard lol. He was all nba second team in 2000 2001 and first team in 02 as well as making a defensive team all 3 years. Kidd is prolly the only other guard with comparable accolades in that stretch
No. Kobe was popular which probably motivated the nba more to rig g7 vs blazers and the 02 seeies vs kings. Shaq shouldve only won 2001
If he played with Jason kidd he would’ve averaged 45 but with a few less rings
No doubt. Shaq could have won with 4 high school kids at that time. He was so dominant.