When it comes to banners, the Los Angeles Lakers typically have a fairly strict regulation. In the event that they do not win the title, they will not hang them. For the same reason, they do not retire player numbers unless the player has been inducted into the Hall of Fame. It is a stringent policy compared to the standards of most clubs, but keep in mind that we are discussing the Los Angeles Lakers here. When you already have 17 championship banners, there is little place left for additional banners to be added. As a result of the fact that they would require 19 banners for conference championships and 33 banners for division titles, it is reasonable to impose some restrictions.
It appeared at first that the In-Season Tournament would not be able to meet this standard of excellence. According to some reports, the Los Angeles Lakers had no intention of displaying a banner if they emerged victorious in the tournament. However, following their victory over the Indiana Pacers on Saturday, which resulted in the first-ever NBA Cup, the Los Angeles Lakers ultimately decided to display a banner, as the team stated on Monday.
The banner will be different from the ones now hanging to commemorate the 17 NBA titles the team has won. The Los Angeles Lakers will not display a unique banner each time they triumph in the In-Season Tournament. Instead, they will hoist a single banner and add to it for every victory they achieve in the In-Season Tournament in the future. When compared to the banners that are already affixed to their rafters in Los Angeles, they will be of a different shape and color. During the celebration that will take place on December 18, the Lakers will also pay tribute to LeBron James, who was named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament, and Anthony Davis, who was selected to the All-Tournament squad.
Currently, the In-Season Tournament is in its early stages of development. It is still being determined whether it will continue to exist and in what form it will do so. However, the buy-in of the teams that compete in it and end up winning it will be an essential component of its long-term success. The fact that the Lakers have deviated from their previously established standard to hang this banner is a promising omen for the event in the future.
