After another 50-win season for the Los Angeles Lakers, GM Rob Pelinka received a well-earned reward for his role in building the current roster. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Lakers just signed Pelinka to a new extension that also comes with the title of President of Basketball Operations.
“The Los Angeles Lakers have signed Rob Pelinka to a contract extension, with his new title as president of basketball operations, along with general manager,” wrote Shams. “Lakers leadership is now signed long-term with Pelinka and coach JJ Redick.”
Pelinka was hired back in March 2017 on the recommendation of Kobe Bryant. He served for years as a player agent, representing clients such as Kobe Bryant, James Harden, and Chris Bosh. He was brought in as a replacement for Mitch Kupchak and initially worked under Magic Johnson, who was the Lakers’ President for a brief period.
After a rough couple of seasons for the franchise, which included a major falling out between Pelinka and Johnson, the Lakers hit rock bottom, and there were calls for owner Jeanie Buss to sell her family’s stake in the team. Slowly but surely, the Lakers crawled out of the gutter, and they’ve been trending up ever since.
Over a few years, Rob brought the Lakers back to a respectable state, starting with the signing of LeBron James in 2018. Pelinka helped orchestrate the move, and it marked the end of LA’s rebuild era. James’ arrival also turned the Lakers into a premium free-agent destination where players could go to chase a championship.
Pelinka’s next big move was trading for Anthony Davis in 2019. At the time, it was a big risk for the organization given that they had to give up almost their entire young core to the Pelicans (Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart), but it paid off with a championship one summer later.
It was also due to acquisitions like Dwight Howard, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Danny Green that the Lakers were able to win that year, all players added by Pelinka.
Out of all his moments, the trade for Luka Doncic this season is arguably his most impressive. Not only did he manage to trade for a 26-year-old superstar using only one first-round pick, he was able to keep it a secret from the entire basketball world.
Lakers owner Jeanie Buss was one of the first to know, and she admitted that it might not have happened had the deal leaked ahead of time. Somehow, Pelinka made sure to keep everything under wraps, and it all came together to pull off the trade of the century.
The results have been amazing for the Lakers (third in the West at 50-32), and their future is secured for years to come. Given his track record so far, Rob has earned this promotion, and the Lakers are justified in having placed their trust in him to lead them into the future.
With Pelinka, Jeanie Buss, and JJ Redick calling the shots, it’s fair to say the Lakers are in good hands, but the work never stops. With many areas in need of improvement, Pelinka is already planning on how he can best maximize his time with Luka Doncic, but they have faith that he will find a solution.
