Bill Simmons has stirred up Los Angeles Lakers fans while celebrating the Boston Celtics’ 18th NBA Championship win on his podcast, with his father as a guest. Simmons claimed that the Lakers have inflated their count of 17 NBA Championships by including the five titles won while the franchise was the Minneapolis Lakers.
“The Lakers cheat though… They count five Minnesota championships. You know what I heard? I think they’re gonna count the In-Season championship too. So I think the Lakers’ fans think they’re still tied. Cut this out as a social clip: You guys can’t count the Minnesota titles. They don’t count. You stole the team from Minnesota. You don’t get to count the titles.”
Simmons drew a parallel with the relocation of the Seattle SuperSonics, who became the Oklahoma City Thunder, suggesting that Thunder fans don’t claim the 1979 title won by the Sonics as their own.
“Do you think OKC fans count the 1979 Sonic team as, ‘Ah, we got that one title with the Sonics!’ No, they don’t.”
While Simmons’ argument resonates to some extent—Los Angeles itself didn’t witness the 17 championships—the Lakers organization isn’t cheating by including those five Minneapolis titles. These championships were won under the same franchise that continues to compete in the NBA today. The debate lies in whether the titles belong to the city or the franchise.
Since 1986, Los Angeles has celebrated eight championships on their home turf, while the Celtics have only won two titles in 38 years. Lakers fans have experienced their team’s success impacting the community more recently than the Celtics fans have.
The 2024 Celtics’ title win solidifies their status as the most successful NBA franchise in history, but Lakers fans might argue, as Simmons does, that some Celtics titles were won in a less competitive era.
Can the Lakers Win No. 18 with LeBron James?
LeBron James tied the Lakers with the Celtics’ overall record of 17 titles in 2020, but he hasn’t had the chance to break the record. Entering his 22nd season in the NBA, could he lead the Lakers to their 18th title?
Despite the notion being far-fetched, James averaged 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 8.3 assists last season, earning an All-NBA selection. While his brilliance might not be at the peak levels of the 2000s or 2010s, he remains one of the best players in the NBA. His co-star, Anthony Davis, also had an impressive season, averaging 24.7 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks, earning an All-NBA spot.
The Lakers have multiple picks and movable contracts to reshape their roster this summer after their second first-round exit in four seasons. Their offseason will be closely watched, with key free agents, including LeBron, hitting the market as the franchise seeks a new head coach.
If the Lakers aim to win with LeBron, the 2024-25 season might be their final shot. Expecting him to lead a title team beyond this point seems unrealistic, nor does the prospect of the Lakers overtaking half the Western Conference in a single offseason.