Rob Pelinka: LeBron James is focused on helping his teammates

Even though LeBron James has dropped hints he’s unhappy with the Lakers, general manager Rob Pelinka said he’s still focused on the team.

LeBron James, in his usual passive-aggressive fashion, has made it clear he isn’t exactly thrilled with the way the Los Angeles Lakers’ season has gone.

After a recent blowout loss at the hands of the Atlanta Hawks, he tweeted an hourglass emoji, which many interpreted as him saying that time is running out for the team. He could’ve meant time was running out to make a trade (which it didn’t), time was running out to salvage this season or even that time was running out on his time with the Lakers.

General manager Rob Pelinka said he recently talked to James, and that the superstar is focused on elevating his teammates.

Via Lakers Nation:

“The last conversation I had with him was that he was focused on the guys in the locker room and making them the best players and teammates they could be,” Pelinka said. “I think he said after our last game, ‘I love these guys.’ He knows as our leader and our captain, building those guys up and getting the best versions of themselves is going to be important to the run we make. So I’m excited to see that unfold.”

There are some signs of hope for the Purple and Gold. The team has won four of its last five games and six of its last nine, and it has been cooking offensively of late. In its late 15 games, the squad is averaging 123.3 points a game, which is third in the NBA, and it has even been shooting 39.8% from 3-point range, which is fourth in the league during that span.

The Lakers signed veteran guard Spencer Dinwiddie on Saturday from the buyout market, and he at least has the potential to make a significantly positive impact the rest of the season.

Rob Pelinka on Lakers not making a move prior to trade deadline

Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka explained why the team didn’t make any moves ahead of this season’s trade deadline.

The 2023-24 NBA trade deadline passed without the Los Angeles Lakers making any moves. Plenty of fans are disappointed the same roster that has hovered around .500 all season is the roster the team will finish the season with.

Los Angeles can sign a player from the buyout market, and it is rumored to be favored to land Spencer Dinwiddie, a veteran ball-handling guard. But one cannot expect such a player to have much of an impact.

The feeling, which turned out to be accurate, was there was simply a paucity of players the Lakers could’ve acquired before the deadline at a reasonable price that would’ve moved the needle. That’s the message general manager Rob Pelinka gave when he addressed the media.

Last year, the Lakers were aggressive prior to the trade deadline, landing forwards Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt and guard D’Angelo Russell while finally unloading Russell Westbrook. Those moves immediately led to a late-season surge that resulted in a Western Conference finals appearance, not to mention optimism for this season.

But at least so far, this season has been a disappointment. They are 27-26, and their chances of making another late-season run are dwindling.

Pelinka implied his team will look to make a bigger impact move this summer when it will be able to trade up to three first-round draft picks.

Darvin Ham is reportedly on the hot seat amid a ‘disconnect’ with the Lakers locker room

It does not look good for Darvin Ham right now.

Despite winning the NBA’s In-Season Tournament, the Lakers have underperformed in recent weeks and their coach is partially to blame.

The Lakers have lost nine of its last 12 games and they have struggled to score the ball efficiently during this recent stretch. LeBron James declined to speak to the media following the loss against the Miami Heat on Wednesday.

Following the loss, meanwhile, reports surfaced that the head coach may be on the hot in Los Angeles.

Here is more from Shams Charania and Jovan Buha (via The Athletic):

“There’s currently a deepening disconnect between Darvin Ham and the Lakers locker room, six sources with direct knowledge of the situation say, raising questions about the head coach’s standing. The people spoke with The Athletic on condition of anonymity so that they could speak freely on the matter. Those sources have described that the disjointedness between the coach and team has stemmed from the extreme rotation and starting lineup adjustments recently from Ham, leading to a fluctuating rhythm for several players across the roster.”

Notably, this report mentioned that “six sources with direct knowledge of the situation” spoke to The Athletic for this story. That means this isn’t frustration coming from one party but rather several.

Players including D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves and Jarred Vanderbilt have shuffled in and out of the starting lineup so far this season. That has made it challenging for anyone on the roster to find consistency on the court.

Perhaps the strongest lineup for Los Angeles last season included LeBron James and Anthony Davis alongside Rui Hachimura as well as Russell and Reaves. But this is a lineup that has barely logged any possessions together in 2023-24.

While we do not know what the next steps are for Ham and this team may be able to turn it around if Davis keeps playing exceptionally well, his future in Los Angeles is suddenly murky.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1373]

Rob Pelinka: Austin Reaves has the Kobe Bryant “Mamba” gene

Lakers executive Rob Pelinka gave Austin Reaves some high praise by comparing his mentality and work ethic to that of Kobe Bryant.

There is a quiet and understated yet buoyant feel of optimism and excitement surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers as they prepare for the official start of training camp early next week. Everyone on their roster is reportedly in good health, and that includes LeBron James and Anthony Davis, both of whom have been working hard to get ready for the new season.

Another reason there is optimism surrounding the team is Austin Reaves, who is coming off a revelatory 2022-23 campaign and could be poised to improve even more this season.

General manager Rob Pelinka praised Reaves’ mentality and even said it is reminiscent of the mentality of late Lakers legend Kobe Bryant.

Reaves averaged a solid 13.0 points a game while shooting 52.9 percent from the field, 39.8 percent from 3-point range and 86.4 percent from the free throw line during the regular season. He seemed to gradually progress over time and display a well-rounded skill set that included the ability to be a secondary facilitator and draw fouls at a high rate.

The undrafted guard upped his production during L.A.’s run to the Western Conference Finals, and if he continues on that upward trajectory, there’s no telling how high his peak will end up being.

Stephen A. Smith: Rob Pelinka would’ve been fired if not for midseason trades

ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith says Lakers executive Rob Pelinka would’ve been gone if he hadn’t saved the team with two midseason trades.

Early last season, the Los Angeles Lakers seemed stuck in a fast-moving river without a paddle. They were saddled with an unbalanced roster that lacked frontcourt depth. It also lacked legitimate scoring help for LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

But in late January, they traded for forward Rui Hachimura, a legitimate scoring threat, while giving up very little. Days later, they dealt the controversial Russell Westbrook for guard D’Angelo Russell and defensive standout Jarred Vanderbilt.

Hachmura, Russell and Vanderbilt have all received contract extensions this summer to remain in Los Angeles.

ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith said during an episode of “First Take” that had those trades not taken place, Lakers executive Rob Pelinka would’ve been fired by owner Jeanie Buss (h/t Lakers Daily).

“I’m telling you what I know,” Smith said. “If that trading deadline hadn’t happened when you acquired D’Angelo Russell and Vanderbilt – you got Hachimura before that – before you made the deal for them or what have you, Rob Pelinka would have been out.

“He’d have been done. I’m telling you – Jeanie Buss was gonna pull the plug. Rob Pelinka has done an outstanding job … since that time.”

Prior to the team’s midseason trades, many fans were calling for Pelinka to be axed, especially after he traded for Westbrook in 2021 and failed to re-sign cult favorite Alex Caruso. Now, the general manager has earned kudos from fans and pundits alike. He remade the Lakers into a legitimate championship contender that has plenty of youth around James and Davis.

Byron Scott: Rob Pelinka should be Executive of the Year

Former Lakers star Byron Scott had some high praise for Rob Pelinka, the franchise’s current general manager.

[anyclip pubname=”2123″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8170″]

In a matter of a few months, Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka took what looked like a broken roster and not only fixed it but made it into a championship-caliber one.

In a couple of midseason trades, he turned the talented but polarizing and ill-fitting Russell Westbrook, little-used guard Kendrick Nunn and modest draft capital into Rui Hachimura, D’Angelo Russell and Jarred Vanderbilt. Suddenly, the Lakers had a roster that was cohesive, and it took them all the way to the Western Conference finals.

Earlier this summer, Pelinka re-signed Hachimura, Russell and emerging star Austin Reaves while adding free agents Taurean Prince, Gabe Vincent, Cam Reddish and Jaxson Hayes. These moves have earned him rave reviews from people across the NBA.

In fact, Lakers legend Magic Johnson recently said Pelinka will win the Executive of the Year award, a sentiment former teammate Byron Scott echoed to Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson while on an episode of “Scoop B Selects” (h/t The Cold Wire).

Scott, who won three NBA championships with the Showtime Lakers in the 1980s, also said he’d be surprised if his former team doesn’t reach the final series this season, barring injuries of course.

Los Angeles isn’t the favorite to win it all or reach the championship round, but it could get there just as easily as the Denver Nuggets or Phoenix Suns.

Rob Pelinka: Anthony Davis wants to lead the Lakers for many years

Lakers executive Rob Pelinka says Anthony Davis wants to lead the team and be committed to it for an extended period of time.

[anyclip pubname=”2123″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8170″]

Anthony Davis may be a somewhat polarizing figure among fans of the Los Angeles Lakers, but he will be a member of the Lakers for the foreseeable future. He signed a huge contract extension with them last week that is worth $186 million over three years.

Some see it as a risk since Davis is injury-prone, but he is clearly one of the NBA’s best superstars, not just offensively but also defensively and on the boards.

According to general manager Rob Pelinka, the big man wants to lead the franchise for many years to come.

Via Lakers Nation:

“In our conversations with Anthony, his desire to lead our franchise for the next several years became abundantly clear,” Pelinka said. “AD understands that his commitment to being the hardest worker, combined with his high character, is what will help define our culture for many seasons to come. It is a proud day for Lakers Nation when we’re able to extend the contract of one of the game’s most dominant two-way players.”

Pelinka talked about valuing roster continuity coming into the offseason. It was something the Lakers lacked the last two seasons, but with Austin Reaves, D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura and now Davis signing contracts, they finally have some.

Lakers owner Jeanie Buss praises Rob Pelinka’s roster moves

Jeanie Buss thinks the world of Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka, who seemingly performed a miracle prior to last season’s trade deadline.

When the Los Angeles Lakers struggled mightily all through the 2021-22 season and the first part of this past season, general manager Rob Pelinka was on the hot seat.

Many criticized him for what they saw as the dismantling of a team that won the NBA championship in 2020. Instead of keeping the core of that squad together, he traded some of it away for Russell Westbrook in 2021. Management then compounded the image of ineptitude by not re-signing cult hero Alex Caruso and filling out the roster with players that were past their expiration date.

But Pelinka radically repaired the Lakers’ roster several months ago, and suddenly they were a legitimate championship contender. Even better, he managed to retain key free agents Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves and D’Angelo Russell this summer instead of once again chasing stars or big names.

Owner Jeanie Buss complimented her general manager during an exclusive interview with Mark Medina.

Via Sportskeeda:

“It was a wonderful run at the end of the season after the trade deadline. You can dial it back to the Hachimura trade with bringing in a player that fit in nicely with the team that we had. Then Rob furthered at the trade deadline by making moves that really fit the way that Coach [Darvin] Ham wanted to play. I really like how Rob talked about pre agency and that we got a chance to look at someone like Rui and how he fit in on our team so that we had the first option at bringing him back. Instead of waiting for free agency to make moves, he did it by making trades during the season. I thought the way he handled it was really strategic. He and Darvin were on the same page as to what they wanted to accomplish in terms of roster building.”

Nowadays, the sentiment about Pelinka is that he has earned his stripes and that he has done an excellent job once again, just as he did in the summer of 2019 when he put together the team that won it all.

Magic Johnson: Rob Pelinka is going to be NBA Executive of the Year

Lakers great Magic Johnson gave general manager Rob Pelinka a ringing endorsement for taking the team from the basement to title contention.

[anyclip pubname=”2123″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8170″]

About six months ago, the Los Angeles Lakers were mired in mediocrity due to an incomplete and unbalanced roster, and it looked as if they were going to miss the playoffs again.

General manager Rob Pelinka was getting much of the blame for the team’s predicament. Critics went after him for several bad or questionable personnel moves, especially the Russell Westbrook trade in 2021.

But Pelinka performed the NBA equivalent of life-saving surgery by executing multiple trades that brought Rui Hachimura, D’Angelo Russell and Jarred Vanderbilt to Los Angeles. A few weeks ago, he re-signed Hachimura, Russell and Austin Reaves to reasonable deals in free agency while adding Jaxson Hayes, Gabe Vincent and Taurean Prince.

Lakers legend Magic Johnson says that Pelinka should be named the Executive of the Year for miraculously transforming the team into a very competitive one (h/t Lakers Nation).

Via Los Angeles Times:

“I think he followed it up with another outstanding job, first from the trade deadline and then he kept it going in the summer. He did better than anybody in the summer. All the moves he made, he was the No. 1 GM in the NBA this offseason. No question about it. All the guys that we signed will help LeBron and the other guys because now we are deeper. Rob is going to be executive of the year.”

While no one may end up picking the Lakers to win it all this coming season, most agree they will be championship contenders as long as they avoid major injuries.

Rob Pelinka is hopeful Cam Reddish will pan out for the Lakers

Lakers fans seem down on new free agent acquisition Cam Reddish, but executive Rob Pelinka says he feels the former lottery pick can thrive.

[anyclip pubname=”2123″ widgetname=”0016M00002U0B1kQAF_M8169″]

Of all the Los Angeles Lakers’ free agent signings this summer, Cam Reddish is the one that has seemingly caused fans to either yawn or shrug their shoulders.

The 6-foot-7 forward was a lottery pick in 2019, but in four NBA seasons, he has shot just 39.9% overall and 32.2% from 3-point range. He is on the verge of wasting what many have seen as an ample amount of talent and being labeled a bust.

But Lakers executive Rob Pelinka seems hopeful the former Duke University player will turn into a positive contributor for the Purple and Gold.

Via The Athletic:

“I think all the tools are there for Cam,” Pelinka said. “We have an assistant coach on Darvin’s (Darvin Ham) staff, Chris Jent, who had Cam when he was with the Atlanta Hawks. He was a member of their staff and had a really good run with him where he had some really meaningful and impactful games in the playoffs where Cam made a difference. I believe in Darvin and his staff to be able to take a guy like that and get him back to playing confident basketball, efficient basketball.

“This was someone who was a (top-10) pick in the draft just a few years ago. So it’s there, and I’m excited for him to show it.”

It was thought Reddish had the ability to be a very solid player, if not a star, when he entered the NBA. This may be his last opportunity to salvage something out of his roundball career, but he will have the benefit of working with Jent once again, not to mention the tutelage of LeBron James.

The one stretch Reddish has had in the pros that even came close to being productive was during the 2021-22 season when he shot 37.9% from downtown in 34 games with the Hawks before they traded him to the New York Knicks.

The previous spring, he was limited to four playoff games due to injury. But in those four contests, which came in the Eastern Conference finals versus the Milwaukee Bucks, he shot 64.3% from 3-point land on 3.5 attempts a game.