The Los Angeles Lakers are only a few years removed from their 2020 title run, but there are still major questions about Rob Pelinka’s ability to build a championship team. In fact, in the aftermath of the Luka Doncic trade, Pelinka is being called out for his mistakes that may be holding the Lakers back.
“Having worked with Rob before, I just don’t trust him at all to build a team that can win a championship in the Luka era,” the former Lakers scout told Lakers Daily. “They have to find a new basketball exec if they want to win a ring with Luka. I hope Magic [Johnson] has told Mark [Walter] that.”
Magic Johnson has a close working relationship with new owner Mark Walter, so he has a louder voice than most within the organization. He already has experience working with Rob Pelinka, and he has watched in disappointment as he assembles mediocre teams year after year.
“This year’s roster is so poorly constructed around Luka, LeBron, and Austin. It makes my eyes hurt. Rob just doesn’t know how to build a contender. And he’s saving cap space and draft picks for 2026 and 2027 instead of trying to trade for two-way guys this season when Luka, LeBron, and Austin are playing so well? Sounds like the Rob I know.”
Pelinka has a very simple view on trades, being that it’s only worth making for needle-movers. This stance, and emphasis on financial flexibility, has led to limited trade activity over the years, ruining their chance to add true difference makers like Myles Turner.
“The guy says he only trades for difference makers, but he doesn’t know what a difference maker is. If he did, the Lakers would have had Myles [Turner] and Buddy [Hield] next to LeBron and AD (Anthony Davis) in 2023 and probably won the title.”
Roster construction has indeed been a consistent problem in Rob Pelinka’s tenure. Despite having stars like LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and now Luka Doncic, he has repeatedly failed to surround them with the necessary pieces to win. The one time the Lakers did win the title under his watch (2020), he broke up the roster a few weeks later in a move the franchise has come to regret.
Over the years, Pelinka has consistently overvalued aging veterans like Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony, sniffing out opportunities for better-fitting role players or a more proven star contributor.
This season, the Lakers opted for a younger team-building approach, but they failed to really address any of their most glaring flaws. The result is a top-heavy team that is over-reliant on Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and 41-year-old LeBron James to deliver on a nightly basis.
While players like Marcus Smart, Deandre Ayton, and Jake LaRavia have been bright spots for the Lakers this season, they’ve hardly been enough to keep up with the most elite contenders. At 23-12 (fifth in the West), Los Angeles is considered underdogs to win the title, and many fans blame Pelinka for this jumbled roster he strung together.
