Daryl Morey is questioning the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2020 championship. Morey, who is the President of the Philadelphia 76ers, straight-up called out the legitimacy of the Lakers’ win.
He’s claiming that the whole NBA bubble situation messed with the usual flow of things and that the Lakers’ victory should come with an asterisk.
Daryl Morey reflected on the bubble experience and called it a luxury purgatory for those inside, and compared the situation to a gladiator-style event for families watching from home.
Speaking as part of an ESPN feature revising the bubble, Morey did not hold back. “Outside the bubble, it was a luxury purgatory for those of us within it. Outside, audiences were entertained by competition in isolation. Inside, players and executives battled opponents and the mental challenge of being unable to leave, “Morey said. His comments suggested that the conditions were so far from normal that the title should be viewed differently.
The Lakers, led by LeBron James, won that year’s championship after three months of isolation in Orlando. While the league received widespread praise for completing the season safely during the height of COVID-19, Morey’s comments reignite debate about whether that title carries the same weight as others.
Morey’s blunt take contrasts with reflections from those who lived inside the bubble. NBA commissioner Adam Silver called the bubble a moment that proved sports could galvanize people during hard times. ESPN’s Mike Breen recalled, “This is not the norm. We’re all in uncharted waters, but we’re all in it together.“
This kind of bold move isn’t surprising coming from Morey, who has never been one to hold back his opinions. But the real question is – do you agree with him? Was the Lakers’ championship tainted by the circumstances of the bubble? Or do you think they earned that title fair and square?
