The Los Angeles Lakers have entertained the NBA crowd with a number of superstar duos, the 2000-2003 three-peat squad led by Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal among the most fabled ones.
The break-up of that fearsome pair puzzles fans of the franchise to this day. The 2004 NBA Finals loss to the Detroit Pistons threw L.A. into turmoil that led to then-head coach Phil Jackson’s departure and an apparent fallout between Bryant and O’Neal.
The center requested a trade in the offseason, ending up on the Miami Heat, where he would win another title in 2006.
“What would have happened had O’Neal stayed with the Lakers?