The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the premier franchises in sports, boasting some of the biggest names basketball has ever seen. They've had legends sport the Purple and Gold, and oftentimes they get them to LA via trade.
Names like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal, Pau Gasol, and Anthony Davis all found their way to Los Angeles because the Lakers went out and made it happen, rather than getting lucky in the draft.
For that reason, each summer and trade deadline, fans look to LA to see what sort of wild trade they will pull off next.
For new owner Mark Walter, I'm sure he and his new advisors were watching this deadline a little closer than normal, as they have some big decisions to make in the near future about the future of this team. Specifically, Rob Pelinka.
The Lakers did make a move at the deadline this year for an $11 million sharpshooter, but will that be enough in the ownership's eyes to save Pelinka's job?
MORE:Lakers address major need in trade for $11 million backcourt upgrade to help Luka Doncic
Lakers land Luke Kennard. Is it enough?
It was announced early Thursday morning that the Los Angeles Lakers had traded team pariah by the fans, Gabe Vincent, and a second-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks for the lethal shooter Luke Kennard.
The Los Angeles Lakers are trading Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks for Luke Kennard, sources tell ESPN.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 5, 2026
Kennard is certainly one of the best shooters the NBA has to offer. He's averaged a little over 44% from three over the course of his career.
Swapping Vincent for Kennard in the lineup and saving roughly $500k is certainly a win, but is it a big enough win for Rob Pelinka? My gut says no.
Kennard is a nice piece and again, a much better piece currently than Gabe Vincent, but does he move the needle to the point of making Los Angeles? I don't think so.
Additionally, the Lakers sent the last 2nd round pick they had for Kennard, so any deals remaining or into the summer would have to be exclusively dealt with 1st round picks attached.
Pelinka's saving grace may just be that their likelihood for acquiring Giannis Antetokounmpo goes up drastically in the summer, and that they will likely have the cap space and first round picks to pull it off, but how will wasting year one of Luka Dončić's tenure in LA be viewed?
Is this a move that helps the team now? Yes. Will it be enough to help Rob Pelinka keep his job? Only time will tell.
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