POLL How many more titles could Shaq and Kobe have won if they had stayed together?

[tabascojet]

None..Shaq hated that little bitch kobe after outing his side piece game after getting in trouble for shoving the mamba in that little girl's 5 hole in Colorado. No way they would have won another.

 

[redseat]

I mistakenly clicked on 4 but meant to say 1... The league would catch up to them as it always has...

 

[DJ]

I mistakenly clicked on 4 but meant to say 1... The league would catch up to them as it always has...

You can change your vote you know.

 

[redseat]

You can change your vote you know.

I know that now. Thanks! Changed

 

[trojanfan12]

The Lakers also completely redid their roster including bottoming out so they could get Bynum.

But if we're assuming they would've gotten back on the same page (which I think is what this thread is assuming) I would feel pretty good with 2 titles in the next 3 years.

Agree. I think it assumes that Shaq and Kobe got back on the same page and came back looking to make a statement. It's funny, if Shaq had taken the same attitude towards Kobe that he did D-Wade, that very well may have happened.

 

[DJ]

Agree. I think it assumes that Shaq and Kobe got back on the same page and came back looking to make a statement. It's funny, if Shaq had taken the same attitude towards Kobe that he did D-Wade, that very well may have happened.

It also assumes Shaq realizes he is getting older and he needs to pass the torch to Kobe.

I think a certain part of Shaq being so torn up when Kobe passed away was exactly that.....that man was hurting on TNT when they spoke about him.

 

[The Q]

Agree. I think it assumes that Shaq and Kobe got back on the same page and came back looking to make a statement. It's funny, if Shaq had taken the same attitude towards Kobe that he did D-Wade, that very well may have happened.

Kobe staging a mutiny to throw away the finals was a point of no return

 

[Stakesarehigh]

Shaq was injured in a prior round, wade got hurt in game 5

6

He played 28 minutes in 6

 

[MHSL82]

When creating this poll.....my original thought was 3 but I backed off to 2 because nothing is ever perfect and there would have been a transition on Kobe becoming the #1 option and Shaq sliding to the #2 but I think they could have figured it out......and they would have kept guys like Fox, Fisher, Payton and Malone (for 1 more season and he was decent when he was healthy) plus whatever free agents they needed to sign.....and Phil would have done his Yoda tricks to make it happen.

So beating the Pistons may have actually led to three more titles total or four. I think when they lost, that may have been the beginning of the end. To be honest, I don’t know Lakers history so I don’t know if Shaq left after that season.

 

[trojanfan12]

So beating the Pistons may have actually led to three more titles total or four. I think when they lost, that may have been the beginning of the end. To be honest, I don’t know Lakers history so I don’t know if Shaq left after that season.

I doubt it. Shaq was already declining. I don't think being in LA would have changed that.

Shaq actually left over money, not Kobe. Dr. Buss didn't want to invest a max contract in an older, declining player who couldn't be bothered to work out in the off-season. Funny thing about it is that had Shaq gone taken the same attitude toward playing with Kobe that he did D-Wade saying "This is D-Wade's team. I'm just here to help him win a title", it's very likely that Dr. Buss would have gone ahead and paid him and he may have retired a Laker.

 

[tabascojet]

I doubt it. Shaq was already declining. I don't think being in LA would have changed that.

Shaq actually left over money, not Kobe. Dr. Buss didn't want to invest a max contract in an older, declining player who couldn't be bothered to work out in the off-season. Funny thing about it is that had Shaq gone taken the same attitude toward playing with Kobe that he did D-Wade saying "This is D-Wade's team. I'm just here to help him win a title", it's very likely that Dr. Buss would have gone ahead and paid him and he may have retired a Laker.

Shaq olny got in shape to win that title with dwade to spite kobe and the lakers. No way he gets off the couch if buss gives him the money.

 

[logic]

Zero, they were done. Kobe and Shaq could no longer co-exist. The Pistons would have been back to back had they stayed together.

 

[Robotech]

I voted 1. Shaq was starting to decline, he was able to get 1 more with D-Wade, then fell off a cliff. No reason to think it would have been different with Kobe.

Yeah, this is a pretty tough thought exercise. Those Spurs teams during that time were really good. And I think it's fair to say that Shaq wasn't a dominating force anymore during the Heat championship, so it would be Kobe as the lone superstar carrying the team. And if the Kobe-Shaq Lakers continued to stay together for the rest of that decade, they would then face the super team Celtics and the super team Heat if the rest of history would've played itself out the same way. The Lakers probably were better off in losing Shaq and revamping their team to get those two titles in 2009 and 2010. Gasol was huge for those title teams.

 

[Robotech]

Zero, they were done. Kobe and Shaq could no longer co-exist. The Pistons would have been back to back had they stayed together.

I think this is the right answer. In addition to Kobe and Shaq not being able to co-exist, Shaq was no longer a dominant player.

 

[The Q]

6

He played 28 minutes in 6

 

[msgkings322]

I think this is the right answer. In addition to Kobe and Shaq not being able to co-exist, Shaq was no longer a dominant player.

This is why I voted potato salad

 

[DJ]

I think this is the right answer. In addition to Kobe and Shaq not being able to co-exist, Shaq was no longer a dominant player.

He was no longer dominant but he would have been a fine #2 option to Kobe emerging as the #1.

 

[msgkings322]

He was no longer dominant but he would have been a fine #2 option to Kobe emerging as the #1.

There were other, better teams then. They maybe could have lucked into one but I doubt it

 

[trojanfan12]

There were other, better teams then. They maybe could have lucked into one but I doubt it

I think if Shaq had stayed, they would have gotten the one for that season ('04-'05) because they would have been looking to redeem themselves for losing to the Pistons. Don't think they get another after that though.

 

[msgkings322]

I think if Shaq had stayed, they would have gotten the one for that season ('04-'05) because they would have been looking to redeem themselves for losing to the Pistons. Don't think they get another after that though.

The Suns picked up Nash that year and won 62 games. The Spurs were in their prime (won 58 games and that title). Miami won 59 and the defending champs Detroit won 54. Even Dallas won 58 that year. Certainly not impossible for the Lakers but not a lock just because they wanted 'redemption'. Maybe 1, probably 0.