The Lakers' Fateful Bag Drop: Trading Adrian Dantley Too Soon
Explore one of the biggest "what ifs" in Lakers history: the decision to trade Adrian Dantley after just one season. Discover how Dantley went from averaging 17 points alongside Kareem to becoming a six-time All-Star averaging 29 points in the next seven seasons. We break down how keeping Dantley could have extended the Lakers' dynasty and wonder if they gave up on a future Hall of Famer way too soon.
Prime
7/22/20252 min read
In the annals of NBA history, there are "what ifs" that haunt fan bases and "if onlys" that echo through the decades. I don't know about the rest of the Lakers fans, but for me, one of the most prominent things that linger in my mind, involves a supremely talented forward who slipped through their grasp far too early: Adrian Dantley. While the Showtime Lakers of the 1980s are legendary, one can't help but wonder if their dynastic run could have been even longer and more dominant had they held onto a player who was on the cusp of superstardom.
Dantley, the sixth overall pick in the 1976 NBA Draft, arrived in Los Angeles with considerable promise. In his rookie season (1976-77), playing alongside the towering presence of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dantley showcased his scoring prowess, averaging a respectable 17.0 points per game. For a 20-year-old rookie sharing the court with an all-time great, those were impressive numbers, hinting at an offensive game that was already remarkably polished.
Yet, despite his promising debut, the Lakers made a decision that, in hindsight, seems almost unfathomable. After just one season, they traded Adrian Dantley to the Indiana Pacers.
What followed was a career trajectory for Dantley that underscores the Lakers' misjudgment. In the very next season, his first after leaving L.A., Dantley's scoring exploded, and he truly began to assert himself. Over the next seven seasons, from 1977-78 to 1983-84 (excluding an injury-shortened 1981-82 season), Adrian Dantley averaged a staggering 29.0 points per game. He became a perennial All-Star, earning six selections in that span, and consistently ranked among the league's elite scorers. His ability to get to the free-throw line and convert at a high rate, combined with his relentless post-up game, made him a nightmare for opposing defenses.
Consider the landscape of the Lakers at that time. They were building a championship contender, and the pieces were falling into place. Imagine a prime Adrian Dantley, a consistent 25-30 point per game scorer, playing alongside Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson (who arrived in 1979), James Worthy, and Michael Cooper. Dantley's offensive firepower would have added another dimension, another unguardable threat, to an already potent attack. His presence could have alleviated some of the scoring burden on Kareem, particularly as Abdul-Jabbar entered the latter stages of his career, and provided an additional high-level scorer to complement Magic's unparalleled passing.
Instead, the Lakers opted to keep two other players who, while contributors, never reached the heights of an Adrian Dantley. Hindsight is 20/20, of course, but the contrast is stark. While the Lakers went on to win multiple championships, one can't help but feel they left some potential on the table.
Adrian Dantley was not just a good player; he was an offensive force, a scoring machine who was just hitting his stride when the Lakers decided to move on. Their impatience cost them years of elite production from a player who would have seamlessly fit into their high-octane offense. The Lakers' run of dominance in the 80s was legendary, but with Adrian Dantley in the fold, it's tantalizing to imagine just how much longer, and how much more emphatically, that golden era could have shined. It's a reminder that even the greatest franchises can sometimes make the wrong call, giving up on a future Hall of Famer way too soon.
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