In just over a year of owning the Los Angeles Lakers, Mark Walter is stepping away. Now, this decision could cause trouble for the President of Basketball Operations and GM, Rob Pelinka. You see, Walter & Co. and the Buss Family before them had placed their faith in him. However, the new bosses might not do the same.
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ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith raised this matter on his YouTube channel with guest Ramona Shelbourne. Smith said, “I think Rob Pelinka will not be there running basketball operations for the Los Angeles Lakers. I don’t believe that will happen moving forward.”
However, Smith believes that Jeanie Buss should be around LA. “She’s synonymous with the Lakers and synonymous with the Laker brands, and she’s adored and revered and respected by everybody in the basketball community,” the 58-year-old said. “She’s the matriarch of basketball as far as I’m concerned. I don’t think you lose somebody like that.”
Jerry Buss purchased the Lakers in 1979, transforming it into one of the most successful and iconic franchises in the NBA. Following his demise in 2013, Jeanie Buss took control as the governor. Simply put, the Purple and Gold and the Buss family are intertwined, and Stephen A. strongly believes they still need someone like Jeanie to oversee things.
But one cannot say the same about Rob Pelinka. Sure, he brought players like LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook to the team. Under his leadership, LA won the 2020 championship and the first edition of the NBA Cup in 2023. Pelinka is also the reason behind acquiring Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks. Yet, his resume might not be as glorious as someone like Bob Myers, who is currently leading the path for the Philadelphia 76ers.
Now, the case with Bob Myers is that he brings the championship pedigree. He walked into the Golden State Warriors front office in 2012 as the general manager, and the rest is history, to say the least. Four titles did not happen overnight.
Myers played a major role in building the inevitable roster that terrorized the NBA for five seasons straight. From acquiring Kevin Durant in 2016 to drafting Jordan Poole in 2019, everything was a risk Myers was willing to take.
Currently, he serves as the president of sports for HBSE, the managing entity of the Philadelphia 76ers. “Prior to working with Josh Harris and being a part of his crew when it came to the Washington Commanders and ultimately the Philadelphia 76ers,” Stephen A. Smith added. “I mean, Bob Myers gets on the scene making basketball decisions, and in a month he had Jaylen Brown and LeBron James on the squad.”
So the question is: can LA somehow get their hands on Bob Myers? “If there is a way to get that man, I think you go get him. This is my belief,” SAS suggested. To be fair, that might not be as easy as it might sound.
Meanwhile, will it be a stretch to say that Rob Pelinka has yet to take some major risks? Maybe. He surely added a huge batch of players in this offseason. Names like Walker Kessler, Kevon Looney, and more are a part of the roster, specially curated for Luka Doncic.
But again, is this team built for winning a title in the upcoming season? Will the new owners Josh Kushner and Bob Iger, feel the need to keep a general manager who might not win a ring? Most importantly, will they trust Rob Pelinka?
On Wednesday, reports suggested that Mark Walter has decided to let go of the Los Angeles Lakers for $12.5 billion. Josh Kushner, who is the son of Donald Trump and Disney CEO Bob Iger, jumped in. They initially pursued an NBA expansion team, with Las Vegas as their target. But once opportunity walked in, Kushner and Iger went all out.
Suddenly, this summer has taken an interesting turn for Rob Pelinka. He had just agreed to a multiyear contract extension last year. But now, his time in LA oddly feels uncertain due to the arrival of new owners. Therefore, it will be interesting to see what comes next for the Lakers’ GM.
