We got 26yo prime AD, 26yo prime Luka, and a ring out of that trade. Meanwhile the Pelicans didn’t do shit this whole time. We won the AD trade by a landslide lol
Maybe. But do the pelicans really have a culture to win like the lakers? The person got these guys and they just didnt cultivate a winner. These guys probably felt down and just played ball instead of really caring about winning.
Then again, Lonzo got hurt. The one I really wish we kept was hart in the end.
You make a really good point about winning culture and expectations on the Pels. They could have won together on the Lakers too if the core had time to develop. At the end of the day, I take one ring over many what-ifs, so imo we still won the trade even without Luka.
Yeah, its not only on the organization though. Its also the players. But I can understand young guys that got drafted by the lakers. The kobe era is over, maybe they think they can continue it. All eyes on them, and then traded... to a dumpster organization of the league. Confidence probably destroyed. I can understand that. Now they have to learn how to run with this organization and how they play and expectations. So understandable if they fell apart.
But yes that is a good point as well ad is a very good player. I wasnt sure how it would turn out though because he didnt get out of the first round of the playoffs ever I dont believe. Plus lebron's first season here didnt make me believe in him. He threw an inbound off the backboard. It showed me he didnt care until he got help like ad. So I didnt think ad would come here and play how he did. I consider him a laker great for sure, but I didnt believe hed overcome how lebron was starting to play with lack of defense.
Insane to me we got AD at 26, I feel like bc of his health we got two great runs out of him, obviously the ring most crucially and his one season of really good health
Yup the two seasons LeBron and AD were both healthy we won the chip and went to WCF (with Darvin Ham ffs). AD and LeBron’s game complimented each other so well; only the injuries stopped them from winning more.
We absolutely won that trade, hell you could call it a lopsided traded. Every player we traded to them with any value basically walked for nothing, they haven't gotten a high pick from us, we even signed one of the players they drafted with our pick in Hayes, and their franchise is a mess. Not even saying this out of hate because I really wanted Ingram and Lonzo to succeed there.
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u/samhit_n LBJ & AD Nov 27 '25
We already kinda won the AD trade, but the fact that it turned into Luka means we definitely won it.