Subscribe
Follow Us
It's been an uphill climb this summer for the Los Angeles Lakers, but team executive Rob Pelinka believes he pulled off a solid offseason haul for the Purple and Gold.
Pelinka was hired as general manager but stepped up into the critical decision-making position following the sudden resignation of former team president Magic Johnson.
In Pelinka's short tenure as the lead executive for the franchise, the Lakers have traded for All-Star forward Anthony Davis and signed big man DeMarcus Cousins, wing Danny Green and veteran forward Jared Dudley in free agency.
The LA-based team also re-signed guards Rajon Rondo, Alex Caruso, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and center JaVale McGee this offseason.
For Pelinka, landing Davis cost multiple first-round picks, including the team's fourth overall pick in June, and young players Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart and Brandon Ingram.
Despite the immense amount of roster turnover and team makeover this summer, Pelinka believes he's pulled it off splendidly.
“I think the greatest teacher in life for all of us is experience,” Pelinka said, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. “And I think that to be great at anything, you have to learn from the past. I think we took a lot of what happened last year into account in kind of shaping this roster and shaping our goals for the season. The North Star for us was just we wanted to add more shooting. We wanted to have perimeter defenders, high-IQ players, guys with high character, and then a versatile lineup.”
The Lakers, headlined by James and Davis, have the tall task of facing off with a loaded Western Conference next season, the Clippers notwithstanding.
It's been an arms race since Kawhi Leonard and Paul George landed with the Clippers, but Pelinka is giving the Lakers a great shot at contention.
