Lakers President/GM Rob Pelinka has considerable power within the organization. On paper, at least, he’s the one who calls the shots and has the final say in basketball decisions.
And if you’re a Lakers fan hoping to see Pelinka get held accountable for his role in constructing this monstrosity, the latest update will not be good news.
According to Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus, the Lakers executive is free from blame for this season’s failure. Instead, those at the top are looking at injuries, Russell Westbrook, and LeBron James for his influence in trading for Westbrook.
[Jeanie] Buss relies heavily on the council of Linda and Kurt Rambis—professional and personal relationships that go back several decades. That, too, isn’t likely to change.
The buzz around the league suggests general manager Rob Pelinka has another year to get the Lakers back on track. The blame internally appears to be focused on injuries, Russell Westbrook and LeBron James for pressuring the team to trade for Westbrook.
This is the current state of the Lakers, who are just two years removed from their 17th championship.
LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Rajon Rondo, Dwight Howard, Kyle Kuzma, and others, formed a perfect mix of talent that went all the way in a season that was bombarded with challenges.
But almost just as quickly as that squad was built, it was torn apart. That summer, the Lakers let go of many of the players that helped bring their success and replaced them with guys who failed to produce at the same level.
The result was a Lakers team that was a shell of themselves. And despite bringing back some of those guys in 2021, they have yet to recover and reclaim their place at the top of the West.
This season has been an especially brutal affair. In its aftermath, Russell Westbrook, Frank Vogel, and even LeBron James have been the target of criticism.
Westbrook, after a failed stint in D.C., was brought on in hopes of adding some additional playmaking and scoring. Since his arrival, however, his fit has been questionable and the team has suffered on both ends of the floor.
As the best player in the world and a guy with unprecedented power and leverage, it was James who brought Russ to the Lakers in the first place.
Now, with the Purple and Gold official out of chances, there is nothing either player can do to avoid condemnation.
Rob Pelinka will join them soon if the downward spiral spills over into the next season.
