The Los Angeles Lakers are known for success. Their 17 championships are the second most in NBA history, and no team has played in more playoff games. The Lakers always have one of the biggest stars, including Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, LeBron James, and Luka Doncic. Their decision-makers have done well in finding role players to complement them, but it is not always sunshine in Lakerland.
There have been plenty of front office mistakes. From failed draft picks to free agent busts to sideways trades, the Lakers have setbacks. No franchise is perfect, but their championships speak for themselves.
Sometimes it is the players who betray their organization. From trash-talking the franchise after leaving to quietly quitting while on the roster to demanding a trade, these people found a way to turn their backs on the Lakers.
20. Patrick Beverley
The Lakers drafted Beverley in the second round in 2009, but he was traded to the Heat. Pat Bev did not suit up in purple and gold until 2022, when the Jazz traded him for Talen Horton-Tucker and Stanley Johnson as they began a rebuild.
His stint with the Lakers lasted just 45 games, which, according to Beverley, was his decision. He made it clear on his podcast that he requested a trade out of LA, and the Lakers honored it.
The fit just wasn’t there next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis, so Patrick Beverley quickly moved on. He turned his back on the Los Angeles Lakers by requesting a trade.
The franchise turned things around after his departure. They were five games under .500 after Pat Bev’s last game on Feb. 7, but finished the year in the conference finals. Beverley’s trade request may have been the best thing for both parties.
He is not the only player who turned their back on the Lakers during their storied history.
19. Nick Young
Swaggy P became a fan favorite in LA. He arrived as the Lakers started their rebuild in 2013, and fans quickly fell in love with his scoring and personality. Young exudes confidence. Whether it was nailing a 3-pointer or hyping up a teammate, fans often saw his smile and fed off his energy.
Young spent four years with the Lakers. In the final season, he was a starter, but things soured. The deterioration began when teammate D’Angelo Russell posted a video in which Young didn’t know he was being recorded. There was an on-court fight that saw Swaggy P fined $25,000, and Young began showing up late frequently. It was clear things were ending.
The 6’7 wing declined a $5.6 million player option with the Lakers in 2017 to sign a $5.2 million contract with the Golden State Warriors. Young talked about why in recent years. He won a title in Golden State and couldn’t pass up the shot to contend even if it meant turning his back on the Lakers in the process.
18. Tyronn Lue
Lue joined the Lakers in a 1998 draft night trade with the Denver Nuggets. He spent his first three NBA seasons in Los Angeles as a reserve guard and helped them win two championships. Lue left to join the Wizards in free agency in 2001 and played for seven different teams during his 11-year NBA career.
Lue did not turn his back on the Lakers until his coaching days. After retiring in 2009, he jumped into a career on the bench. He was an assistant with the Celtics, Clippers, and Cavaliers before getting his first head coaching shot in 2016. Lue led the Cavs to a championship, and that run made him the favorite to land the Lakers' opening in 2019.
LeBron James wanted Lue and was pushing hard for him. The Lakers offered him a three-year deal, but the three-time NBA champion turned it down. He was making money from his buyout with the Cavaliers and wanted Los Angeles to give him a five-year deal. Ultimately, talks broke off, and the Lakers went in another direction.
Tyronn Lue joined the Clippers as an assistant instead, and he took less than the $6 million per season the Lakers were offering. Lue ended up being their head coach after one season, and the Lakers won a championship with Frank Vogel. It all worked out, but the former Lakers guard certainly turned his back on the franchise to join the cross-town rival.
17. Malik Beasley
The Lakers acquired Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, and D’Angelo Russell in the three-team Russell Westbrook trade in 2023. It helped them turn their season around and reach the conference finals, but Beasley struggled. His minutes dipped as he shot under 40 percent from the field. The 6’4 guard was axed from the playoff rotation in the second round, but it did not stop the Lakers from having interest in a reunion.
Beasley was an unrestricted free agent and free to sign with any team. He had multiple suitors but took less money than the Lakers and Mavericks were offering to join the Milwaukee Bucks. The 6’4 guard jumped at the opportunity to get more minutes and to compete for a championship next to Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The Lakers were offering $6 million per season, so he took less than half to go to the Bucks. Beasley bet on himself but turned his back on LA. They wanted to keep their group together after reaching the conference finals. The Lakers re-signed Austin Reaves, D’Angelo Russell, and Rui Hachimura, but Beasley was one of several players to move on.
Malik Beasley just did not find his fit on the Los Angeles Lakers, so he left. It is difficult playing off LeBron James and Anthony Davis when someone is used to having the ball. Beasley has played well for the Bucks and Pistons over the next two years, leaving Lakers fans thinking about what could have been.
16. DeAndre Jordan
Jordan was a star for the Clippers, but he did not join the Lakers until he was well past his prime. The 6’11 big man signed in 2021 and began the season as their starting center. Los Angeles won the championship in 2020 playing Anthony Davis at the four to start games, but things with Jordan did not work. He quickly lost his starting role and slipped from the rotation entirely.
The Lakers waived Jordan at the end of February. Many thought it was the team moving on, but the three-time All-NBA big man wanted out. He sought a larger role and believed he could find it with a contender. Jordan left the Lakers after a disappointing 32 games and played a similar role with the 76ers for the remainder of the season.
Los Angeles was crushed by injuries and failed to make the playoffs in 2022. The disappointing campaign got Frank Vogel fired just two years after winning a championship, and it was just the second time since 2006 that LeBron James did not qualify for the playoffs.
DeAndre Jordan turned his back on the Los Angeles Lakers and failed to see his one-year contract through. It may have been a mutually beneficial move, but it was still surprising when it happened.
15. Marc Gasol
The Lakers signed Gasol just after winning the championship in 2020. He played a key role on the Raptors title team in 2019. The 6’11 big man was no longer a star, but Los Angeles was searching for someone who could play the five and take some of the pressure off Anthony Davis. They dumped JaVale McGee to open up space to sign the three-time All-Star.
Marc Gasol played just 52 games but had bright spots. He blocked 1.1 shots in 19.1 minutes per contest and shot 41 percent from 3-point range. Gasol played a key role in the playoffs as the Suns upset the Lakers in the opening round. The franchise wanted to bring him back, but the veteran had other plans.
The three-time All-Star showed no interest in returning to the Lakers for the 2021-22 season, but he was under contract after signing a two-year deal. They eventually traded him to the Grizzlies and signed DeAndre Jordan to fill his role. Gasol never played in the NBA again, but did spend two seasons with CB Girona in Spain.
Marc Gasol was drafted by the Lakers in 2007 but went to Memphis in the Pau Gasol trade. The younger brother began and ended his NBA career in Los Angeles. He refused to play his final season with the Lakers as the 36-year-old was ready to return home to Spain.
14. Matt Barnes
Kobe Bryant wanted Barnes to join the Lakers after the heavily covered ball fake in 2010. The Black Mamba never flinched, but it proved Barnes was not going to back down. Kobe wanted hard-working teammates willing to fight with him, so the Lakers signed the free agent months later.
Barnes came off the bench in Los Angeles and did not have his best two years. The 2012 playoffs were the final straw. Barnes shot just 27.1 percent from the field over 11 contests as the Lakers were bounced by the rising Oklahoma City Thunder in just five games in the second round. He could not find his footing in the playoffs and was a disappointment in LA.
The 6’7 forward joined the rival Clippers in free agency in 2012, and his production immediately picked up.
Barnes was quick to call his time with the Lakers “a bad situation” and gave praise to the Clippers for having confidence in him.
Matt Barnes played for nine different teams and was a key role player in multiple stops. Things did not always go as planned, but the 6’7 forward worked hard and brought toughness. It was disappointing to see him speak negatively about his time with the Los Angeles Lakers, but it certainly was not the perfect fit.
13. Marcus Smart
Smart revived his career with the Lakers. He became a core piece of the Celtics, but Boston traded him after nine years. The former Defensive Player of the Year struggled to stay healthy and looked to be declining over the next two seasons. The Washington Wizards bought him out in 2025, and Luka Doncic recruited Smart to Los Angeles.
Smart returned to starting and made a significant impact defensively. He played a key role in winning a first-round playoff series over the Houston Rockets with Doncic injured. Fans quickly fell in love and hoped Smart would return.
He declined a $5.4 million player option and called the Lakers’ offer in free agency “disrespectful” (subscription required). The veteran actually took less money to join the Rockets. He couldn’t pass up a shot to return home, but it meant turning his back on the Lakers after reviving his career in LA.
12. Antawn Jamison
Jamison’s lone season with the Lakers was a disaster. They signed him to be their sixth man and a crucial scorer off the bench. He played 33.1 minutes and averaged 17.2 points per game in 2012 for the Cavaliers, but never found his footing in Los Angeles.
Jamison saw his production dip to 9.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 0.7 assists in just 21.5 minutes per game. He played 76 contests but suffered through multiple DNP-CDs. The veteran forward received nearly 20 minutes each night in the playoffs as the Spurs bounced the Lakers in the first round.
Jamison skipped his exit interview and immediately had wrist surgery. It was clear he would not return. The 36-year-old was an unrestricted free agent, and nothing went right in LA. The Lakers were quick to move on, and Jamison played just 22 more NBA games before calling it a career.
Jamison said the team dealt with “a lot of unnecessary nonsense” during his lone season with the Lakers. It did not work, but the two-time All-Star did not need to call his organization out in the media or skip his exit interview. Antawn Jamison was done with the Los Angeles Lakers, but he should have handled it better.
11. Robert Horry
Horry was a crucial part of the Lakers' three-peat with Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. The 6’10 forward was known for sinking clutch shots and has seven rings to prove it. Big Shot Rob had success nearly everywhere he went, but things did not end on fantastic terms in LA.
Horry admitted he left with “so much hatred for the team” for the way things were handled. He knew the Lakers wanted Karl Malone and would do whatever possible to land him. Horry wanted them to let him go so that he could find a new franchise. The Lakers waited it out, and Horry was left scrambling at the last moment.
He went on to win two championships in San Antonio over his final five years in the NBA. Things worked out for Horry, and he was not afraid to turn his back on his former team after feeling like they had wronged him. The 6’10 forward was a key role player on three Lakers' title teams. Both sides should have handled the situation better, but they did not.
Most fans won’t remember the messy exit. They think about the clutch shots and the championships. Still, it was a disappointing way for his time with the Lakers to end.
10. Nick Van Exel
Van Exel was a second-round draft pick by the Lakers in 1993 and spent his first five NBA seasons with the franchise. The 6’1 guard was a starter from day one and became an All-Star in Tinseltown. It was during his lone All-Star season in 2008 that things began to sour with the Lakers.
Van Exel helped the franchise get back on track after Magic Johnson’s abrupt exit. They made the playoffs four straight years and won four playoff series. Los Angeles made the conference finals in 1998 but was on the verge of being knocked out by the Jazz for the second straight year when Van Exel made a joke nobody found funny.
It created the origins of 1,2,3 Cancun, but was a disaster as it made it look like the All-Star had given up on the team. He gave up his starting role to Derek Fisher earlier in the year, and now it looked like he was turning his back on the franchise entirely.
Lakers general manager Jerry West wasted no time trading Nick Van Exel after the season. He remained a starter for most of his career, but the 6’1 guard never made another All-Star appearance. He could have ascended further in LA, but his actions got him shipped out of town.
9. Magic Johnson
Johnson was a loyal player who spent his entire 13-year NBA career with the Lakers. Things ended suddenly after his HIV diagnosis in 1991, but Magic came back to LA even when he returned in 1995. The Hall of Famer never played for another organization and even dabbled in coaching and executive roles for the franchise.
Johnson was named president of basketball operations for the Lakers in 2017 but lasted just three years in the gig. He did help bring LeBron James to Hollywood, but the franchise went just 79-109 with Johnson in charge. Moments before the final game of the 2018-19 season, Magic shockingly resigned from his position.
He turned his back on the Lakers when he accused Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka of backstabbing him on ESPN’s First Take. The pair had a rocky relationship, but Pelinka took the high road when asked about Johnson’s comments.
Ultimately, Magic Johnson did not have the decision-making power he wanted with the Los Angeles Lakers, but the legend did not need to throw the front office under the bus on his way out. It was disappointing, but things worked out as the Lakers won the championship in 2020, the first season after Magic’s exit.
8. Mike D’Antoni
The Lakers hired D’Antoni as their head coach in 2012. Mike Brown began the season in the role but was fired after just five games. Los Angeles expected to contend for a championship with Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard leading their charge. D’Antoni was a veteran head coach who had success coaching the Seven Seconds or Less Suns. He was reunited with Steve Nash in LA, and the Lakers believed he could lead them to a championship.
Things did not go as planned. Nash and Pau Gasol struggled with injuries. Dwight Howard was not a superstar with the Lakers and struggled to mesh with Kobe. The Black Mamba was willing his team to the playoffs before tearing his Achilles tendon late in the campaign. Los Angeles was swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Spurs and faced serious questions about their future.
D’Antoni coached one more year but resigned in April 2014 after the Lakers refused to pick up an option in his contract for the 2015-16 season. Los Angeles was entering a rebuild, and D’Antoni wanted some assurances about his future. The franchise was unwilling to give them, and the veteran coach walked away.
Mike D’Antoni struggled with the Los Angeles Lakers. He proved himself again by coaching the Houston Rockets to four straight playoff runs from 2016 to 2020. He quickly turned his back on the Lakers when things went south, but the franchise needed a few years to rebuild after Kobe's injury.
7. Mike Dunleavy Sr.
The Lakers hired Dunleavy Sr. to replace Pat Riley as their head coach in 1990. The new boss was just 36 years old and fresh off an 11-year NBA career. He led LA to a 58-24 record in year one and took the team to the NBA Finals, where they lost to Michael Jordan and the Bulls. Things quickly went off the rails in year two.
Magic Johnson abruptly retired after his HIV diagnosis, and the Lakers sputtered to a 43-39 finish and a first-round playoff exit at the hands of the Blazers. It was the franchise’s worst record since 1976, and Dunleavy quit to join the Milwaukee Bucks following the year. They offered him an eight-year contract and decision-making control. It was just too good to pass up.
The Lakers believed they had the next great coach in Mike Dunleavy Sr., but he left before he could become a star. He played for the Bucks and was an assistant coach in Milwaukee. His time as their head coach did not go as planned, but he spent 17 seasons in the gig with four different franchises. Dunleavy Sr. made just five playoff appearances after leaving LA and never advanced beyond the conference finals.
Mike Dunleavy Sr. turned his back on the Los Angeles Lakers during a period of turmoil. They could not simply replace Magic Johnson, so the young coach bolted for the security of Milwaukee. If he had given the Lakers time, his coaching career likely would have been a lot more successful.
6. Russell Westbrook
The Lakers knew they needed to upgrade their roster after a first-round playoff exit in 2021. General manager Rob Pelinka wanted to add shooting, but LeBron James had his sights on a third star. The NBA’s all-time leading scorer got his way as the Lakers traded Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, and a first-round pick for Russell Westbrook.
There were questions about the future Hall of Famer's fit before he arrived in Los Angeles. Westbrook needed the ball to be at his best, and so did LeBron. The duo never made it work. It was clear Westbrook should come off the bench, but it never happened during his first season with the Lakers. They missed the playoffs in the disastrous campaign.
Westbrook agreed to a sixth-man role in year two, but things still did not work. He was traded at the 2023 deadline in a deal that landed the Lakers Jarred Vanderbilt, Malik Beasley, and D’Angelo Russell, sparking their run to the conference finals.
Westbrook admitted he was ready to leave the Lakers after being dealt. Having three stars sounded like a championship formula, but it never worked with Russell Westbrook. His resistance to buying into his optimal role cost the Los Angeles Lakers mightily.
5. Dennis Rodman
The Lakers signed Dennis Rodman in Feb. of 1999. He was fresh off winning three straight championships with the Bulls, but Chicago tore things down after the Last Dance. Rodman decided to join Shaquille O’Neal and a young Kobe Bryant in Los Angeles to chase his sixth championship, but things did not go as planned.
He lasted less than two months with the franchise. The 37-year-old was still an elite rebounder, but his behavior was problematic. Rodman was often late and refused to check back into multiple games. He took a leave of absence that caused him to miss three games. Ultimately, the Lakers had enough and waived him with ten games left in the regular season.
Rodman was nearing the end of his playing career. He appeared in 12 games with the Mavericks the following season, but his behavior was again a problem.
His season with the Lakers was filled with drama. It ended for LA in the second round of the playoffs as the Spurs swept them. Phil Jackson arrived as head coach the following year and led the Lakers to three straight titles.
Things may have been different if the Zen Master coached Dennis Rodman, but his 23-game stint with the Lakers was a forgettable one. He turned his back on the team by showing up late and causing unnecessary headaches.
4. Spencer Haywood
Haywood was an all-time great player. The five-time All-Star and 1970 MVP was one of the league’s best scorers and rebounders from the moment he showed up at 20 years old. He averaged 23.0 points, 11.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game from 1969 to 1979.
The Lakers traded the blossoming Adrian Dantley to the Jazz for Haywood in 1979. They wanted someone who could play next to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the frontcourt, but the move quickly became a disaster. Dantley became a six-time All-Star and Hall of Famer in Utah, and Haywood’s lone season in LA was filled with headaches.
Haywood’s minutes dropped to 20.3 per game, and things got so bad that head coach Paul Westhead suspended him after Game 3 of the NBA Finals. Haywood admitted to using drugs at the time and was not helping his team. The Lakers went on to win the championship without him, but it was a wild time. Nobody expected Haywood to perform so poorly or be such a distraction when they made the trade.
Spencer Haywood’s addiction led him to turn his back on the Los Angeles Lakers. He was waived after the season and was never the same player.
3. Dwight Howard
The Lakers took a massive swing in 2012 when they traded for Howard. Their front office dreamed of it being Kobe and Shaq 2.0. Howard was a dominant big man in his prime that was ready to leave Orlando. The Magic had made the playoffs six straight years, including reaching the NBA Finals in 2009, but two straight first-round exits had Superman hungry to chase a championship.
The Lakers thought they would have Howard as their next building block, but he lasted just one season in LA. He averaged 17.1 points, 12.4 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and 2.4 blocks per game, despite his struggles to mesh with Kobe. Howard had been first-team All-Defense four straight years before joining the Lakers, but did not even make the second team.
The franchise had three head coaches, and Bryant tore his Achilles down the stretch as he attempted to will the Lakers to the playoffs. They were bounced in the first round, and Howard bolted for the Rockets in free agency. Instead of being the franchise’s next star, he decided to chase a championship with James Harden in Houston.
Dwight Howard returned to the Lakers in 2019 and finally won his first ring. He turned his back on the franchise, but they were willing to bring him back years later. It was a redemption story for both sides. Still, there will always be the what-if of him staying in LA in 2013.
2. LeBron James
After eight seasons with the Lakers, LeBron informed the team he would not return. This was just months after leading LA to a playoff series with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves injured. AR returned for the final two games, but it was King James, at 41 years old, who was the Lakers' alpha.
LeBron didn’t arrive in LA until he was 33, but he still became a Lakers legend. The GOAT got them out of the worst stretch in franchise history and brought the 17th title to the purple and gold in 2020. James was an eight-time All-Star and seven-time All-NBA selection just with the Lakers. It was a fantastic run, despite LeBron being past his peak before arriving in Los Angeles.
Rob Pelinka said on several occasions that he wanted LeBron to return, but King James decided his best opportunity was elsewhere. He turned down more money from the Lakers to sign a two-year minimum contract with the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency. LBJ was done in LA, so he handed the keys to Luka Doncic.
1. Pat Riley
Few NBA figures have won more than Riley. He played nine years in the league before 24 as a head coach and over three decades as the Heat’s lead executive. During those six decades, Riley has won nine championships and made 19 NBA Finals appearances. He won a ring with the Lakers as a player in 1972, and his coaching career started with the franchise.
Riley became the Lakers' head coach in 1981 and led them to seven NBA Finals and four championships in nine years. He was the architect of the Showtime era led by Magic Johnson, but the head coach was becoming bigger than his players. Riley was appearing in commercials and promoting his book. It prompted his shocking exit in 1990.
Riley won 533 of his 727 regular-season games as Lakers head coach and another 109 playoff contests. He was only 44 years old and had plenty left in the tank. Los Angeles was hoping he would stay for decades, but Riley decided to step down after their second-round playoff exit at the hands of the Suns.
He is still a Lakers legend, but it is hard not to say he turned his back on the franchise. Who knows how things would have changed if Pat Riley had continued leading their charge? He is a winner, so fans could certainly expect plenty of those if he remained in LA.
The Los Angeles Lakers had several people turn their backs on the franchise, and it will happen again far too soon.
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