Michael Jordan’s ex-teammate, Ron Harper, mocked LeBron James’ 2020 NBA championship win after former Lakers player Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s “GOAT” (greatest of all-time) claim. Caldwell-Pope believes the 2020 Lakers roster would have won at least two more titles because of their chemistry and on-court fit.
However, the roster was broken up after LA moved on from Dwight Howard, JaVale McGee, Danny Green and Avery Bradley. Caldwell-Pope added that it could have ended the “GOAT” debate between Jordan and James, putting the Lakers superstar at par with the former NBA legend’s six rings, as his fans generally rely on championship wins as the key differentiator between who the “GOAT” is.
“I think if we kept that team together, we would’ve run off two more…,” Caldwell-Pope said on Howard’s podcast, ‘Above The Ring with D12’.
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"There would be no more GOAT talk, that would’ve put [LeBron] at six."
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The Lakers haven't won a title since. With their only championship in the LeBron James era coming during the COVID-19 shortened season in 2020 in the Orlando Bubble without fans, several pundits think there's an asterisk on that title.
Michael Jordan's ex-teammate, Ron Harper, seemingly thinks the same. Here's what he replied to an X post with Caldwell-Pope's comment on Tuesday:
"What 2020 title the bubble gum ring?"
Harper belittled the achievement of that championship despite the unusual circumstances players played in. Many claimed it was one of the most difficult situations to be in, with no fans in the arena, no homecourt advantage, and more importantly, the players staying away from their families for months.
LeBron James-led Lakers were one of the most well-built teams in the past decade
LeBron James and the Lakers don't get enough credit for winning the 2020 NBA championship. Many felt it was an easy run with the unusual circumstances. The conversation surrounding it often overshadows the team's achievement throughout the year. James and the Lakers had the best record in the West before the season came to a halt in March 2020.
They ultimately finished the season as the conference leaders, locking homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs after the league-leading Bucks got eliminated in the second round. One of LA's keys to success was its well-built roster. It had the right balance, size and athleticism on both ends. LeBron James was impacting the game at an MVP level, playing the point guard position on a full-time basis, averaging 25.3 points and a career-high 10.2 assists.
Meanwhile, Anthony Davis was playing at a Defensive Player of the Year level. The duo was surrounded by a bevy of two-way players like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Alex Caruso, Avery Bradley, Danny Green and Kyle Kuzma. Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee accompanied Davis in the frontcourt, which also kept LA's interior defense sound.
It became one of the blueprints over the next few years, and the most successful teams in the NBA of late, like the OKC Thunder and Indiana Pacers, are thriving with similar roster builds.
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