New Lakers owner Mark Walter might not have much patience for current GM Rob Pelinka.
Getty
New Lakers owner Mark Walter (left) might not have much patience for current GM Rob Pelinka.
The Los Angeles Lakers have been the subject of many an NBA trade rumor over the past four months, but now that the deadline has reached us, it appears that the sum total of the Lakers moves (at least with two hours left) will amount to Gabe Vincent going out to the Atlanta Hawks and sharpshooter Luke Kennard coming in.
That’s … not much.
Kennard is the best 3-point shooter in the NBA (49.7%), which won’t hurt the Lakers, who are 23rd in 3-point attempts (34.1 per game) and 22nd in percentage (34.9%). But he is a subpar defensive player on a team with too many defensive sieves as it is, so just how playable he will be going forward can be debated. There’s a reason, after all, that Kennard has been on five teams in nine seasons.
A relative lack of activity from the front office is one problem, but wider signals show that this is an organization on the brink of significant change. That raises a worthy question about the future of the Lakers: Is GM Rob Pelinka soon to be fired?
Rob Pelinka Has Made Some Strong Moves for the Lakers
Pelinka, of course, has steered the front office since 2017 and won out on a power struggle with Lakers great Magic Johnson that played out over the following year. He’s been in charge for the biggest moments in the franchise’s recent history: the signing of LeBron James in 2018, the trade for Anthony Davis in 2019, the 2020 “bubble” championship and the 2025 trade of Davis for Luka Doncic.
But he has drafted poorly over the years, with just one rotation player developed from within, undrafted guard Austin Reaves, and has failed to find consistent fixtures for the roster or the coaching staff. The Lakers are on their third coach in five years, their fifth starting point guard in five years and their third starting center in three years.
“Unless they catch fire in the second half of the year, unless they really come on and make a run in the playoffs, it’s got to be on life support, it is going to be tough to see how he survives,” one NBA source said. “If they’re in the play-in again this year, with LeBron James and Luka Doncic on your roster, it’s hard to make excuses at this point. Does he have the respect of the league? Does he have a clear vision? That’s the problem.
“And the other problem is there’s a new owner who isn’t going to sit on his hands.”
Luka Doncic, Lakers
GettyLuka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers
Wider Shake-Up Coming to Los Angeles?
Yes, new Lakers owner Mark Walter is the figure that is looming large for Pelinka now. If the Lakers go out feebly in the playoffs again–since the bubble title, the Lakers have been to the conference finals once, but lost in the first round three times–it’s likely the team will be in for sweeping changes as Walter inserts his own people into top jobs.
Of course, Walter did not hire Pelinka, so would not have too much trouble firing him. And in a wider view, the Lakers could be ready to move on entirely from the Pelinka era if James hits free agency and decides to go elsewhere, leaving Doncic as the franchise face.
That’s to be decided this summer. For now, the Lakers have 32 games in front of them, plus a hopeful playoff run. This stretch is a good chance for Pelinka to show he still belongs.