The Los Angeles Lakers are in a slump right now, and frustration around the franchise is boiling over. That frustration reached a new level this week when NBA analyst Jason Timpf openly called for the Lakers to fire general manager Rob Pelinka before the trade deadline, arguing that the roster flaws are no longer defensible in the modern NBA.
Speaking on the All-NBA Podcast, Timpf did not mince words. He pointed out that today’s league is built on speed, athleticism, and shooting, three areas where the Los Angeles Lakers are glaringly deficient.
“In the modern NBA, you need athleticism and shooting to succeed. And this roster is somehow utterly devoid of both.”
“I think the Los Angeles Lakers need a fire rod before the deadline, because if they continue to let him run this team, he has never once, in the years that he’s been in control of this franchise, demonstrated any semblance of a basketball identity or any semblance of an understanding of what works in the modern NBA.”
“I think they got to get rid of him before it’s too late. If they let him keep captaining the ship, I think they’re going to end up getting a Luka trade request in a couple years if they don’t.”
The timing matters especially when the Lakers have dropped three straight games, all by blowout margins. They have lost six of the last 10 games and consistently are getting outplayed in every game. While the 19-10 record looks solid on paper, advanced stats reveal the dark truth.
The Lakers rank near the bottom of the league in almost all defensive categories. They are ranked 26th in the league in defensive rating, 25th in terms of defensive rebounding, 21st in steals per game, and 27th in blocks per game.
They are slow, undersized, and struggle badly against athletic teams that push the pace.
Shooting-wise, the picture is not much better.
They are ranked 24th in the league in terms of 3-point percentage, 23rd in terms of 3-point attempts per game, and 25th in terms of three-pointers made per game. In the league where spacing is critical for success, the Lakers are trying to survive with lineups that shrink the floor and offer little protection on the other side.
Timpf’s argument is simple: these are not minor issues that can be patched with one role player. They are structural problems created by years of flawed roster construction.
The most alarming part of Timpf’s comments centered on Luka Doncic. While the blockbuster trade that brought Luka to Los Angeles bought Pelinka some goodwill, Timpf believes that the race period is already wearing thin. He warned that if Pelinka remains in charge and continues down the same path, the Lakers could eventually face a Luka trade request within a few years. In today’s NBA, stars do not wait patiently for front offices to figure it out.
That warning carries weight. Luka is averaging 33.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 8.7 assists and is doing everything asked of him. But even superstars have limits, especially when surrounded by lineups that cannot defend, run, or space the floor. The Lakers already let one of their best defensive wings, Dorian Finney-Smith, walk in free agency. Since then, they have failed to replace that archetype entirely.
Pelinka did deliver a championship in 2020, and that banner matters. But since then, the Lakers have lurched from one roster gamble to the next, often chasing names instead of fit. The modern NBA demands long, athletic defenders who can shoot, switch, and survive in space. The Lakers have almost none of that, and it is no longer a coincidence.
Timpf’s call to fire Pelinka before the trade deadline is extreme, but it reflects a growing belief around the league. If the Lakers truly want to protect their future and maximize Luka’s prime, they may need more than another midseason trade. They may need a complete reset at the top, before the same cycle repeats itself yet again.
