Have you considered that the roller might be the problem, not the floor? (I know it sounds picky.) Laminate floors are super common, and foam rollers are meant to grip them just fine. If it flew that far, maybe your buddy was leaning into it way too hard or the roller's surface was worn down. Plenty of folks use rollers on smooth surfaces without any drama. Honestly, this sounds more like a technique issue than a flooring one.

Wait, two weeks for azaleas seems way too fast.

Honestly the fibers still tighten up a bunch, just in a different way.