“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it” is an oft-repeated quote written by philosopher George Santayana in 1905. How does that apply to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2019?
To understand the relevance, let’s look back seven years to summer 2012. Although the public wasn’t yet aware of it, beloved Lakers owner Jerry Buss was fighting a losing battle with cancer. Team President Jim Buss and General Manager Mitch Kupchak wanted to do everything possible to try to win one more championship. The title would be especially sweet to Jerry because the Lakers would then tie the Celtics for the most won by a franchise, 17.