Rob Pelinka was public enemy no. 1 in Los Angeles not too long back, but it is safe to say things have changed now.
The trades made by him before the deadline have been a massive success, with one move, in particular, earning him a lot of praise.
Russell Westbrook and a protected first for D'Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Malik Beasley is an all-time robbery by Rob Pelinka! pic.twitter.com/bI9Cmt7Uxf
— Lakers Lead (@LakersLead) February 26, 2023
All-time robbery might be a stretch, but it was undoubtedly a terrific move. Russell Westbrook was never a great fit with this roster, and to get D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Malik Beasley for him and one first-round draft pick is just amazing. Pelinka had been criticized during the first half of the season for not making trades, but he was just waiting for the right deal to appear and his patience, with regard to that, has paid off.
Stats After The Trade Deadline:
D’Angelo Russell: 13.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 5.0 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.0 BPG
Jarred Vanderbilt: 8.6 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.2 BPG
Malik Beasley: 13.4 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.0 BPG
Russell Westbrook: 17.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 9.0 APG, 3.0 SPG, 0.0 BPG
The Lakers are now 4-1 after the trade deadline thanks to their new acquisitions. On the other hand, Westbrook hasn’t had the best of times with the Los Angeles Clippers, as they have lost both games with him in the lineup.
The Lakers’ Season Has Been Saved By This Trade
D’Angelo and Beasley give them some much-needed shooting, with the former being a capable playmaker as well. Vanderbilt, meanwhile, has been probably the best acquisition of the lot thanks to his exceptional defense, and he did as good a job as anyone has done on Luka Doncic.
Jarred Vanderbilt's ball pressure on Luka Doncic pic.twitter.com/r5n3RaZi9y
— pickuphoop (@pickuphoop) February 27, 2023
He said after the game that he loves the challenge of guarding the opposition’s best player, and the Lakers desperately needed a defensive wing like him. Both LeBron James and Anthony Davis were full of praise for Vanderbilt for the job he did on Doncic as well.
Before the Lakers made these moves, it was difficult to have any kind of optimism regarding their prospects for this season. Sure, a team with LeBron and Davis couldn’t be completely counted out, but they were ultimately going to fall short. Now, the situation has changed thanks to these moves by Pelinka. The pieces fit so much better, and while it’s still highly unlikely they will win a championship, the franchise and its fans at least have reasons to be optimistic heading into the postseason.
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