A trio of sports media’s elder statesmen have independently eviscerated the idea of the Lakers hanging a banner for their in-season tournament victory.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that the Lakers would “unveil a unique NBA In-Season Tournament banner to honor” their 2023 championship on Dec. 18, leaving spots on the same banner for potential future tournament victories.
This report did not sit well with Mike Francesa, Chris Russo and Charles Barkley.
“The NBA in-season tournament was a big enough joke,” Francesa tweeted Monday. “The Lakers’ decision to hang a banner to honor the in-season victory takes the whole thing to total embarrassment. Talk about cheapening a sport.”
On his weekly appearance on ESPN’s “First Take”, Russo barked about the decision, imagining how Lakers legends like Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Gale Goodrich (“look him up!”), Happy Hairston, Jim McMillan, Pau Gasol, Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson would feel about it.
“We are going to drink champagne after a regular season tournament?” Russo asked incredulously.
“And then they’re gonna raise a banner to the rafters?! For winning this inaugural tournament? Banners are for CHAMPIONSHIPS AND RETIRED NUMBERS! They’re not for a four-game series in the middle of November.”
Russo gave NBA commissioner Adam Silver credit for the success of the tournament but chided the Lakers, saying “you’ve gotta have a little perspective here!”
On “The Dan Patrick Show” on Wednesday, Barkley also called the tournament a “resounding success” but admonished the Lakers for the extent of the celebrations.
“You don’t do champagne for the in-season tournament. I’m glad I didn’t see that,” Barkley said.
“The Lakers better not put up an in-season banner. If they do that, I’m gonna roast their ass on TV.”
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