Los Angeles Lakers: Are Rob Pelinka’s days as general manager numbered?

With the current state of the Los Angeles Lakers, could Rob Pelinka’s days as the general manager be numbered?

During the entirety of the Los Angeles Lakers and Anthony Davis debacle, one name kept getting mentioned. Magic Johnson, the Lakers’ president of basketball operations seemed to be the lead negotiator on behalf of the organization, taking point just like during Showtime.

He was the man brokering deals and talking to the now former New Orleans Pelicans general manager, Dell Demps, about a deal that was fraught with bad intentions, ill will and an unwillingness to make any sort of deal until the summertime.

One person visibly absent from the Woj bombs being dropped on Twitter was Lakers‘ general manager/Rob Lowe impersonator/Chief “Bible Verse” Officer, Rob Pelinka.

Upon his appointment with the Lakers, Pelinka was lauded for his ability to deal with superstar players and clients such as Kobe Bryant and James Harden. His ability to make the best possible deal for his clients was incredibly evident when post Achilles tear, Pelinka was able to get Bryant a new two-year extension for $48.5 million. It was a deal that was widely panned by the NBA community.

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His ability to work closely with NBA front offices to get numerous deals done for his multitude of clients was also something he was lauded for.

Lakers fans welcomed Pelinka and Johnson in with open arms as the Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak administration had run its course with the appalling signings of Luol Deng and Timofey Mozgov on July 1st, 2016. Those were deals which crippled the Lakers financially and still has ramifications on the roster to this day, costing the Lakers cap space and D’Angelo Russell in the process.

Pelinka and Magic’s first test, the draft, was fruitful as they were able to land three impactful players in Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart. All three are now key members of the Lakers young core. They were also able to clear cap space by trading fan favorite Larry Nance Jr. and Jordan Clarkson to the Cleveland Cavaliers whilst being able to procure a draft pick

However, during Pelinka’s tenure, he has not been without significant fault, as he has been excluded from a number of key decisions. Most notably his omission from the LeBron James meeting at James’ Brentwood home, with Johnson and James seemingly brokering a deal that had been months in the making. Also, the drafting of Mortiz Wagner, a player reportedly taken by Magic Johnson.

Pelinka was caught tampering by the Indiana Pacers and was fined by the league office a reported $500,000, the largest-ever penalty of its kind. His inability to get a Paul George or Kawhi Leonard trade done, possibly causing Johnson to step up in order to try and get an Anthony Davis deal done.

A lot of these mistakes can be struck off as growing pains for a relatively new general manager. However, in Los Angeles, the pressure is immense, the expectations are high and the room for error is marginal.

A multitude of different things could have led to him taking a backseat in these situations, but the evidence seems to be building that Pelinka might not be the right man for the job.

The one criticism pointed at Johnson and Pelinka from the beginning was a lack of experience, with Johnson obviously providing the flash, charisma and name recognition. It was expected that a veteran general manager would have made the most sense due to Johnson’s lack of front office experience.

Names mentioned heavily at the time ranged from The Process Architect Sam Hinkie, Oklahoma City Thunder Supremo Sam Presti, Boston Assistant GM Mike Zarren and Portland Trailblazers Guru Neil Olshey. Rob Pelinka became the front runner and was appointed very early on in the GM search process, following in the footsteps of Golden State Warriors GM Bob Meyers.

When offered the chance to hire Lakers Legend/The Logo and Hall of Fame Player and Executive Jerry West, it was met with a firm yet respectful no by Magic Johnson and his staff, a decision which could come back to bite them in the future with West joining their rivals, the Los Angeles Clippers.

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So, the question of the hour is, are Rob Pelinka’s days as Lakers General Manager numbered? Has he made one too many mistakes? Has his lack of experience doomed him from the start, or is he just the scapegoat for numerous decisions that have backfired on the Lakers?

My gut feeling says that he will remain in his position for the next 12 months, conventional wisdom would dictate that Luke Walton, not Rob Pelinka, will be relieved of his duties as Lakers Head Coach at the end of the season.

Both Pelinka and Johnson will conduct their search and a new head coach will be anointed. This is when the real countdown begins for Rob Pelinka.

The free agency period this offseason will crystallize the Lakers front office picture. With Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, Kemba Walker, Jimmy Butler and Kawhi Leonard all hitting the open market, the Lakers have numerous chances if they so choose to swing for the fences in free agency.

However, if the Lakers strike out and are left empty-handed, then major questions will be asked. If the Lakers are unable to land a second superstar via trade or free agency, then you will begin to hear rumblings of the Lakers considering moving on from Rob Pelinka.

A scapegoat is always required when things go very wrong, and with Walton possibly out of the picture, eyes will be firmly on Rob Pelinka.

If they are able to land a second superstar and LeBron has his running mate for the next couple of seasons, then the clouds will have parted, the panic will be gone and all will be okay in Lakerland once again. With Pelinka and Magic potentially being at the center of all the praise, if this was to occur, we can safely assume he has bought himself another few years of wiggle room.

With the margin for error so small and the stakes so high, this summer for the Los Angeles Lakers figures to play out much like a Hollywood blockbuster. Some laughs, some tears, a lot of action and plot twists that will leave everyone on the edge of their seats.