The Lakers are currently 32-19 and set to face the Thunder tonight at the Crypto.com Arena. Just hours before the game, a report from two days ago has now gone viral, stating there are concerns over Rob Pelinka’s future as well amid the expected overhaul of the Lakers’ front office.
According to Sean Deveney of Heavy Sports, the Lakers’ general manager could be a part of the massive overhaul expected in the front office in the offseason if the team fails to meet their expectations after the upcoming All-Star break.
“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,” Deveney wrote as he quoted his source in the report.
“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.”
The Lakers were recently sold to Mark Walter for a whopping $10 billion valuation, who wanted to replicate the front office to look like the L.A. Dodgers, which they believe is the blueprint of a sustainable dynasty in the modern sports world.
Amid all the criticism that the Lakers have faced over ‘a lack of infrastructure and preferring familiarity over expertise,’ a constant criticism that they face is the lack of consistency against championship-caliber teams.
Among their 32 wins this season, only two have come against arguable championship contenders (the Nuggets and the Timberwolves). The rest of their wins have been against teams that are in the middle or the bottom of their respective conferences.
Experts have constantly criticized the Lakers, saying they are not considered true championship contenders this season. Despite the acquisition of an MVP-caliber player like Luka Doncic, the team has yet to find its identity and consistency against the top five teams in both conferences.
We know that the internal expectation within the Lakers’ locker room is that they are built to do well in the playoffs and not the regular season. But if we see another first-round or play-in exit for the Lakers, Jeanie Buss’ word may not be enough to secure Pelinka’s long-term future with the franchise.
In the 705 games that Pelinka has seen as the general manager of the Lakers, they have had a 378-327 record in the regular season. After nearly a decade with the franchise since joining in 2017 to replace Mitch Kupchak, do you think the Lakers would let Pelinka go if they fail to meet expectations this season? Let us know what you think in the comments section.
