LeBron James, Austin Reaves, Dorian Finney-Smith, Luka Doncic, Dalton Knecht – the Lakers have a starting 5 of just uncertainties. Well, maybe not DFS after his move to the Rockets. But the rest of them? Still up in the air. The Showtime promise might justify a bucket full of cheese popcorn during the off-season. And we haven’t even touched on the blockbuster ownership change yet. And with all these movements and uncertainties, there’s one issue that revolves around in common: What is Rob Pelinka’s future?
Boston thought their $6.1 billion franchise sale would dominate headlines—until the Lakers blew past it with a jaw-dropping $10 billion deal led by Mark Walters. Sure, the Celtics may hold the title count, but L.A.’s brand power is on another level. And while Rob Pelinka’s off-season moves have raised eyebrows, it doesn’t look like the front office is sweating just yet.
“But just that challenge of building a sustained juggernaut in LA. I just think like – Rob just signed an extension. He just traded for Luka a few months ago. I know people are upset with the start here over the first couple of days of free agency, and I get it, and I think it could certainly have gone better. But I think it’s premature to call free agency dead yet,” said Jovan Buha. Hear that, Lakers fans? Free agency’s far from over.
Feb 4, 2025; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka speaks before introducing Luka Doncic at UCLA Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
The season’s still three months away—90 days, 12 weeks, however you wanna count it. And with the rumor mill spinning like a slot machine, you just know a championship-caliber roster is brewing. Right now, DeAndre Ayton’s the headline act. But don’t get too comfy with that. If there’s one thing we know about Rob Pelinka, it’s that he’s always holding pocket aces while the rest are chasing the river.
Nicolas Claxton seems more probable than Al Horford for Rob Pelinka
The LakeShow went bonkers when Al Horford’s name propped up on Pelinka’s wishlist. That’s a sure-shot way to guarantee LeBron James’ immediate future. Why does all of this feel like yet another Pelinka masterclass? To think this to be the case after his DFS debacle is beyond comprehension.
“If I was doing a Vegas line, I would still have Ayton as the favorite. I don’t think I would have Horford as the second… I think the Claxton remains in the mix, but it is a high asking price… I’m not going to like other like I think Ayton would be a great value at eight point two five million and be a nice placeholder center who could kind of betting on his pedigree and him potentially like being in this situation where he has to prove himself and kind of a make good situation for himself,” said Buha.
Landing Nicolas Claxton would be a massive win. But with the LA Lakers sitting in the dreaded second apron, that wild 4-year, $100 million deal he signed with Brooklyn last year feels like a reach. Then again—this is Rob Pelinka we’re talking about. The guy doesn’t play by the usual playbook. Every option’s in play when he’s at the board. It’s all one big salary cap puzzle. And while Claxton’s a piece worth dreaming about, DeAndre Ayton still sits at the top of the Lakers’ wishlist—for now.
May 9, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) controls the ball under pressure from Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton (22) and forward Josh Okogie (2) in the first quarter during game five of the 2023 NBA playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Rob Pelinka leaving the Lakers’ front office? That’s a multiverse script—not something you’d expect in this one. Despite the flak (mainly from the Finney-Smith situation), Pelinka’s pulled off more good than bad, especially navigating second-apron hell with some creativity. Now, if he manages to land DeAndre Ayton? That’s a major swing. It wouldn’t just patch a roster need—it might help rewrite his standing with the fanbase. But LakeShow’s standards are sky-high. One misstep, and he’s back on the hot seat—maybe even sharing that couch with Nico Harrison, whose Mavs moves went from masterstroke to meltdown real quick. Ayton might be his redemption shot—or his final bluff.
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