Rob Pelinka Wants Lakers To Double Down On Defense And Rebounding As Their Identity

Rob Pelinka let everyone know that the Lakers have found an identity that they want to build on.

3 Min Read

Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Lakers have a delicate offseason ahead of them, as they look to find the perfect balance in retaining valuable roster pieces while making moves to also improve the roster, but with minimal assets.

Rob Pelinka gave a peek inside LA’s offseason strategy, bluntly claiming that defense and rebounding wins championships and they want to optimize the setup that they have right now instead of trying to copy other teams.

“I think we believe in the proof of concept of this group, and we saw defensively what we were able to do to finish the season out, and I think defense and rebounding wins championships … We want to lean into that. I think if there are ways we can improve the roster, of course, we’re going to do that. I think probably less focus on, ‘Hey, what is Team X or Team Y doing?’ And more focus on, ‘How can we optimize us?'” 

Given top teams around the NBA are going back to making big threes, it seems like Pelinka is indicating the Lakers will not be doing so. 

The Suns added Bradley Beal to Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, the Celtics added Kristaps Porzingis to Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. Will the Lakers add a top-tier talent and create a big three or add more depth behind their aging stars? 


 Lakers Offseason Plans Indicate Bringing Most Of The Roster Back

Pelinka indicated that the Lakers had a strong recipe in his previous quote, but he later said that the team will prioritize trying to keep its free agents while making ancillary moves to improve the roster. 

“We want to try our hardest to keep this core of guys together and also improve around the edges and on the margins to not only get back to where we were last year but hopefully take the next step and get into the NBA Finals,”

They have already issued qualifying offers to Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura, confirming their heavy interest in re-signing both players. Ancillary moves could indicate using the non-tax mid-level exception and putting their name in the running for targets like Bruce Brown or Grant Williams. 

Outside of that, they could still use a trade package of expiring contracts like Mo Bamba and Malik Beasley to entice a team into giving them a valuable win-now player.

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Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher ReportYahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
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