Lakers: Takeaways From Thursday’s Exit Interviews

The front office has a plan

Apr 7, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers president for basketball operations shakes hands with fans as he attends the game against the Sacramento Kings at Staples Center. Lakers won 98-94. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

While Magic Johnson wasn’t in attendance for Thursday’s exit interviews, Rob Pelinka was and had a message for the players heading into the summer.

Pelinka: “Guys that aren’t committed to excellence won’t be here. I’d say that about myself/staff as well. The Lakers stand for excellence."
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) April 13, 2017

If that’s not a direct challenge to the players, nothing is. Pelinka has made it known from the jump that he has very little patience for people that don’t want to play for the greatest franchise in all of sports. However, he also expressed how impressed he was with the growth of the Lakers’ young core this season.

The Lakers are hoping to add another piece to the puzzle this summer through the draft, but that all depends on the Basketball Gods now. As many of you know, if LA’s pick falls out of the top three, not only will they lose this year’s pick but they will also lose their 2019 first-round pick.

While fans would prefer keeping the pick and having an opportunity to draft another exciting yougnt talent like UCLA’s Lonzo Ball or Kansas’ Josh Jackson, Pelinka is prepared for the worst.

Rob Pelinka said he's confident in the Lakers plan, lottery pick or no, team needed those wins late, important for franchise as well
— Eric Pincus (@EricPincus) April 13, 2017

Pelinka said "you don't want to make a trade" just to make a splash. But Pelinka said, "we have a call to action to make our roster better."
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) April 13, 2017

This upcoming summer will be the first offseason under the Pelinka-Magic regime, so we don’t know what to expect. However, it’s comforting to know that they have a plan in place.

Next: Pick or no pick, Lakers future is bright

But what did you guys think of what the team had to say? Do you feel optimistic about next season? Are you expecting anyone else not returning? Let us know in the comments below.

All quotes are per Spectrum SportsNet unless otherwise noted. Follow @TheLakeShowLife on Twitter for the latest updated on the Purple and Gold.