2000-02 Lakers: Replace Shaq w/ 2020-’22 Nikola Jokić

Matt15 · Post #1 » by **Matt15** » Tue Jun 28, 2022 9:16 pm

How many titles would the Lakers win during this 3 year span with Jokić instead of Shaq?

coastalmarker99 · Post #2 » by **coastalmarker99** » Tue Jun 28, 2022 9:45 pm

I will say 0 or 1 title.

They most likely still win in 2001 but they lose to Portland in 2000 and the Kings in 2002.

uberhikari · Post #3 » by **uberhikari** » Tue Jun 28, 2022 10:11 pm

LAL don't win in 2000 or 2001. But they win 2002.

TheGOATRises007 · Post #4 » by **TheGOATRises007** » Tue Jun 28, 2022 10:27 pm

They lose in 2000.

I fail to see the argument why they wouldn't win in 2001 or 2002 though.

22 Jokic is arguably better than 02 Shaq.

No-more-rings · Post #5 » by **No-more-rings** » Tue Jun 28, 2022 10:54 pm

I’m not so sure they get any rings.

LAL1947 · Post #6 » by **LAL1947** » Tue Jun 28, 2022 11:07 pm

Well, Lakers won't win 1999-00 as Kobe wasn't ready yet...

HOWEVER, we're definitely winning more of these 9 seasons: 2000-01 to 2009-10. So the Lakers could win anywhere between 5-9 rings with the Joker instead of just the 3-peat with Big Boi.

I'm going to assume that we're able to build a better and more balanced team around Kobe-Jokic, since Jokic would take less money than Shaq and won't sabotage us by demanding a trade to Miami.

Stan · Post #7 » by **Stan** » Tue Jun 28, 2022 11:40 pm

He definitely doesn't win in 2000 imo, Shaq had arguably the GOAT peak that season.

'01 is very likely considering how great Kobe played and how badly they thugged the leaguethat postseason.

'02 is a possibility, but they won that Kings series by the slimmest of margins, so if forced to pick, I'd say they wouldn't beat the Kings with Jokic in Shaq's place.