DBWI: What if Laker players don't die in 1960 plane crash?

On January 18th, 1960, The DC 3 plane that was supposed to carry the Lakers from St. Louis to Minneapolis crashed in a cornfield, got out of control, went down a gorge, and exploded, killing everyone on board, including young superstar Elgin Baylor.

As a result, the fairly young NBA, with only eight teams, decided to suspend operations for the rest of the year. Also, Bob Short, Laker owner, decided to sell the team, which cancelled a proposed move to Los Angeles.

That summer, meetings were held to decide whether or not the NBA could still go on. The Laker tragedy was a crippling blow to the young league. They decided to go on with the league, and they held a disaster draft to stock the depleted Minneapolis team. Also, the Lakers were awarded extra draft picks, and they took Jerry West in the first round.

The league was able to get by for the next few years, and the Lakers eventually found stable ownership and were able to stay in Minneapolis. As for the LA market, Bob Short bought the Syracuse Nationals from Danny Biasone and moved them to Tinseltown, renaming them the Stars, and setting up a rivalry with the Warriors, who moved to San Fran the year before.

Here is how the league looked in 1963:

Eastern Division

Boston Celtics
New York Knicks
Cincinnati Royals
Detroit Pistons

Western Division

St. Louis Hawks
Minneapolis Lakers
San Francisco Warriors
Los Angeles Stars

However, what if the Laker plane didn't crash, and they went to LA? What if Elgin Baylor continued to show people that you can play in the air as well as on the ground? How would that have affected the future of the NBA?
 
On January 18th, 1960, The DC 3 plane that was supposed to carry the Lakers from St. Louis to Minneapolis crashed in a cornfield, got out of control, went down a gorge, and exploded, killing everyone on board, including young superstar Elgin Baylor.

As a result, the fairly young NBA, with only eight teams, decided to suspend operations for the rest of the year. Also, Bob Short, Laker owner, decided to sell the team, which cancelled a proposed move to Los Angeles.

That summer, meetings were held to decide whether or not the NBA could still go on. The Laker tragedy was a crippling blow to the young league. They decided to go on with the league, and they held a disaster draft to stock the depleted Minneapolis team. Also, the Lakers were awarded extra draft picks, and they took Jerry West in the first round.

The league was able to get by for the next few years, and the Lakers eventually found stable ownership and were able to stay in Minneapolis. As for the LA market, Bob Short bought the Syracuse Nationals from Danny Biasone and moved them to Tinseltown, renaming them the Stars, and setting up a rivalry with the Warriors, who moved to San Fran the year before.

Here is how the league looked in 1963:

Eastern Division

Boston Celtics
New York Knicks
Cincinnati Royals
Detroit Pistons

Western Division

St. Louis Hawks
Minneapolis Lakers
San Francisco Warriors
Los Angeles Stars

However, what if the Laker plane didn't crash, and they went to LA? What if Elgin Baylor continued to show people that you can play in the air as well as on the ground? How would that have affected the future of the NBA?


The Lakers win one more championship in Minnesota, do not relocate, and rename themselves the "Minnesota Lakers", due to the team playing in Saint Paul instead of Minneapolis (Which they did OTL).

A new arena built for the Lakers is retrofitted for the Minnesota North Stars of the NHL. The Lakers and Stars stay put in Minnesota. The Cincinnati Royals relocate to Los Angeles to become the Los Angeles Royals.
 
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