Recent Los Angeles Lakers rumors will disappoint some fans, as the organization and Jeanie Buss reportedly really want to keep Rob Pelinka.
Los Angeles Lakers rumors have really picked up in recent days with the front office and coaching staff shakeups. The chances of the Los Angeles Lakers hiring a big-named NBA executive like Bob Myers, Jerry West, or Pat Riley to run the Lakers’ basketball operations in the wake of Magic Johnson‘s departure seem further from reality today than ever.
Two days ago, it was reported Lakers’ general manager Rob Pelinka would not only “stay on in his job, if anything, but his power will also grow.”
Magic Johnson had just stepped down as Lakers president of basketball operations with no warning or plan in place. It was natural, at least for the time being, that Pelinka assumed Johnson’s half of the responsibilities until Buss figured out the next course of action.
Today, John Ireland reported on ESPN LA 710 AM that Buss and the top of the Lakers’ brass strongly desire to keep Pelinka in place:
"“I’m hearing that the people at the highest level of the Lakers really, really want to keep Rob. And I don’t know if you can do that if you hire…a top executive.”“He has earned the favor of the people at the highest part of the organization, including Jeanie, regardless of what his reputation and what the reporting’s been over the last couple of days of what the outsiders of the league think of him. Which is a thing… Inside the (Lakers) building, he is very well-liked. At the highest levels.”"
Lakers legend, Byron Scott, was also on the show and confirmed.
"“We both heard that. They ‘love’ him is the word I heard. That they love him in the organization.”"
The stench of Pelinka’s tarnished reputation precedes him and follows the Lakers. Reports have been pouring in more loudly over the past few weeks about how “despised” Pelinka is around the league. Other NBA executives are reluctant to pick up or simply ignore Pelinka’s phone calls.
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As an NBA general manager, one would have to work well enough with the rest of the league in order to conduct one’s duties, such as field trade calls.
For all of Magic Johnson’s failures as an NBA executive, Johnson was well-liked and respected throughout the league. Other NBA executives were willing to work with him. Now that Johnson is gone, the Lakers’ good cop-bad cop routine is missing a good cop.
There are several possibilities for keeping Pelinka.
First, Pelinka could be elevated to Johnson’s position as president of basketball operations and the Lakers could do away with the general manager position altogether.
Second, Pelinka could keep his position as general manager under a new president of basketball operations that Buss would hire above Pelinka. This would limit the number of top NBA executives willing to take Johnson’s place because it is commonplace for a new executive to hire their own general manager and staff.
Third, and least likely, Pelinka could be elevated to Johnson’s position as president of basketball operations and the Lakers could hire a general manager under him.
The Lakers are still finding their identity after Johnson’s sudden departure and Pelinka’s job security can change at any moment.
However, the fact that the Lakers not only fired coach Luke Walton before the announcing a new president of basketball operations but that Pelinka announced it himself, appears to make it even more likely that Pelinka will stay.