"Unbelievable! The Los Angeles Lakers have been the busiest team in the market this year!"
"It's been a long time since they made such major moves, and Jerry West is working his magic, completely reshaping the roster!"
"Just compare last season's lineup to what they have now—it's like night and day!"
The U.S. media wasted no time analyzing the Lakers' off-season moves.
The Lakers had completely overhauled their core, trading away key players from last season's playoff team.
In return?
Two rookies, a fringe player, and two aging veterans.
ESPN and other sports networks released immediate trade grades for the Lakers' recent transactions.
First trade:
Instead of signing Shaquille O'Neal, they sent him to Vancouver.
In exchange for All-Star center Vlade Divac, the Lakers received:
Mo Ran, the 1996 No. 1 overall pick.Two future first-round picks from the Grizzlies.A fringe player, Tyus Edney.
Second trade:
They traded away two promising All-Star potential guards—Nick Van Exel and Eddie Jones—to acquire:
Allen Iverson, the 1996 No. 2 overall pick. Two aging veterans, Dell Curry and Kenny Smith, primarily to balance salaries.
Essentially, the Lakers traded away three All-Stars in exchange for rookies and role players.
"Let's analyze this objectively," said an ESPN analyst.
"Their best option should have been signing Shaquille O'Neal and keeping their existing core."
Another analyst countered, "Actually, a better option would've been signing Shaq and trading Van Exel for Jason Kidd from Dallas."
Imagine a lineup of:
Jason Kidd, Eddie Jones, Vlade Divac, Shaquille O'Neal
"That team could've made it to the Western Conference Finals!"
"Instead, they chose the worst option—trading away three All-Stars for rookies."
Another commentator added, "Mo Ran and Allen Iverson are great talents, but their potential is still unrealized. In contrast, a Kidd-O'Neal duo would have been a sure thing!"
Mo Ran's Perspective
As Mo Ran boarded a flight to Los Angeles and reflected on the trade, he had his own ideas about what the best scenario could have been.
If it were up to him, the ideal move would have been:
Trading for Kidd and Kobe Bryant, Signing Shaq, and Keeping Eddie Jones as a bridge player while Kobe developed.
A future core of Kidd, Kobe, and Shaq could have dominated the league for years.
However, Mo understood Jerry West's vision.
The Lakers chose him over Shaq, which meant they were planning to build the team around him.
In West's eyes, Mo wasn't just an improved version of Giannis Antetokounmpo—he was an enhanced version of Kevin Durant as well.
Mo could see why West believed he could be more valuable than Shaq in the long run.
And in terms of chemistry, no one had a better connection with Mo than Allen Iverson.
Los Angeles, Staples Center
Mo Ran and his agent, Bill Duffy, arrived at Staples Center, where they were greeted by none other than Jerry West himself.
Bill Duffy headed off with the Lakers' staff to finalize paperwork, while Mo followed West into the arena.
Looking up, Mo saw the Lakers' legendary championship banners hanging from the rafters.
"You know," West said with a wry smile, "The Lakers never hang division championship banners."
Mo raised an eyebrow.
West sighed, "Unfortunately, in my playing days, the highest I ever won was a division title... That's why you won't see my name up there."
West had reached the NBA Finals nine times, yet had only one championship to show for it.
In fact, he was the first player in NBA history to win the Finals MVP in a losing effort (1969).
But despite his bittersweet career, West's legacy was untouchable.
Mo Ran, sensing the moment, changed the subject.
"Looks like these banners haven't been updated in a while."
West chuckled, snapping out of his nostalgia.
"Yeah, the last one was from 1988."
Indeed, the Lakers' last championship was back in the 1987-88 season.
Since then, they had been stuck in a drought, watching the rise of the Bad Boy Pistons and then the Michael Jordan's era.
Mo looked back at West with determination.
"We need to change that, coach. Not one banner—
Not one, not two, not three...
West grinned, "I like your confidence, Mo."
Choosing a Jersey Number
With the formalities done, Bill Duffy returned.
"Mo, you need to pick your jersey number."
West pointed toward the wall of retired Lakers jerseys.
"We've got a lot of numbers already up there."
Without hesitation, Mo said, "I'll take No. 34."
West paused. "Why 34?"
Mo smiled.
"Because it was supposed to belong to Shaquille O'Neal."
Shaq's number 34 would have been synonymous with Lakers dominance—but since he never came, Mo would wear it instead.
Moreover, Giannis Antetokounmpo, whose playstyle Mo had inherited, also wore No. 34 in the NBA.
It was a symbolic choice.
West nodded. "Good choice. Let's make that number legendary."
Settling In
After signing his contract, Mo used a portion of his salary to buy a modest house in LA.
"A mansion can wait," he thought.
Money would come, but first, he needed to prove himself.
Reunion with Iverson
Days later, Iverson flew into Los Angeles, having officially joined the Lakers.
He walked into Mo's house with a wide grin.
"Damn, Mo, I can't believe I'm in LA too!"
The two embraced, realizing that their Georgetown journey had now transitioned to the NBA.
"Long time no see, bro," Mo laughed.
Iverson smirked, "Get ready, because we're about to take over."
With the Georgetown Twins reunited and Jerry West's vision in motion, the Lakers were gearing up for a new era.
A championship banner update was long overdue.