ESPN's Brian Windhorst wasn't afraid to poke fun at the Los Angeles Lakers during the latest episode of The Hoop Collective podcast, laughing at LA's acquisition of Luke Kennard.
Kennard is one of the NBA's best shooters, but his defensive shortcomings only promise to make LA's biggest weakness even worse.
In mocking Lakers GM Rob Pelinka for the Kennard trade, Windhorst asked, "Can anyone get us more one-way players?"
Brian Windhorst just taunted the Lakers' front office
Windorst's jab isn't off-base in the present moment, but it is short-sighted. Everyone -- Windhorst included -- knows that Pelinka can't start re-tooling the Lakers until the summer, and this Kennard pick-up won't affect that operation, seeing as Kennard's on an expiring contract.
Windy's taunt seems to suggest that Pelinka doesn't know what to look for when it comes to building around Luka Doncic. But that's not the case. It's simply that Pelinka doesn't have the funds or roster flexibility to pursue the right players until the offseason.
Was Windhorst expecting Pelinka to acquire a guy like Peyton Watson, Tari Eason, or Norman Powell at the trade deadline? These are all potential Lakers targets in free agency this summer, but none of them were available for Pelinka via trade this season (due to LA's meager trade assets).
Windhorst's criticism of Pelinka would hit home if the Lakers were actually trying to contend this season, but it's obvious that they know they can't. LeBron James himself explicitly stated that the Lakers aren't a championship team, and he said this with full knowledge that the 2025-26 roster is set in stone, with the exception of a possible non-consequential buyout addition.
What was the point of acquiring Kennard at all, then, Lakers fans might ask. Well, maybe it just comes down to the fact that "one-way" players, as Windhorst said while chuckling, were the only assets that Pelinka could afford at the deadline, and he figured it was better to improve on one side of the ball than do nothing, with hopes that JJ Redick can find a way to improve LA's defense in-house.
Here's the thing about two-way demons in the NBA -- they are valuable, coveted, and thus not cheap. Just because Pelinka didn't buy the goods this Christmas doesn't mean he wasn't window shopping.
To align Pelinka's lack of activity or lack of two-way additions at the deadline with a lack of IQ on Pelinka's part is a misguided exercise.
Now, if next offseason comes and goes, and the Lakers are still full of Luke Kennards, Windhorst can say absolutely anything he wants about Pelinka. For now, give the guy a break.