The Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA’s first in-season tournament on Saturday with a 123-109 victory over the Indiana Pacers, giving them the NBA Cup.
The debates are underway regarding what exactly this honor will mean for the organization and for LeBron James, who was named the tourney MVP. Many believe it will not mean much, given the team only played seven games during the tourney, but there are those who feel it solidifies James even more as the greatest player in NBA history.
Regardless, the Lakers will reportedly hang a banner at Crypto.com Arena to honor their NBA Cup triumph. However, the franchise will keep the main thing the main thing by differentiating it from its other banners.
Via ESPN:
“Turns out the Lakers will be hanging another banner at Crypto.com Arena to recognize winning the inaugural NBA in-season tournament in Las Vegas, but the team is making sure the NBA Cup victory won’t be confused with the ultimate goal of a championship,” wrote Dave McMenamin.
“The in-season tournament banner will have a different shape and color than the existing gold NBA championship banners that line the rafters. There will also be just one in-season tournament banner that the Lakers will use to honor their win in 2023 and any future years should they win the tournament again.”
The banner will be unveiled next Monday when the Lakers host the New York Knicks following the three-game road trip.