It’s hard to imagine the Los Angeles Lakers, one of the NBA’s most iconic franchises, calling anywhere but L.A. home. Yet, during the mid-1990s, there was a moment when the Lakers’ purple and gold legacy could have shifted south to Anaheim.

This wasn’t just a rumor. It was a serious possibility, backed by real negotiations, financial pressure, and arena politics that almost changed NBA history forever.

Why The Lakers Considered Leaving Los Angeles

By the early 1990s, the Lakers were in transition. • Magic Johnson had retired (1991), and the team was entering the post-Showtime era. • The Great Western Forum in Inglewood — their home since 1967 — was starting to show its age.

Team owner Dr. Jerry Buss faced a dilemma: the Forum lacked luxury suites, modern amenities, and the revenue

See Full Page