The Los Angeles Lakers have been incredibly disappointing this season and things have heated up over the last week or so. There were Lakers rumors about LeBron James being frustrated with the Lakers’ front office, which LeBron and Rich Paul subsequently denied. However, the latest rumblings from another NBA general manager seem to indicate that where there is smoke, there is fire.
According to Ric Bucher of Fox Sports, an Eastern Conference GM heard that LeBron was trying to get Oklahoma City Thunder GM Sam Presti to Los Angeles to replace Rob Pelinka.
LeBron is very calculated in what he says in the media and when he says it. So perhaps it is not a coincidence that LeBron called Presti the “MVP” of the Thunder over the All-Star Break. It was weird timing to praise a general manager of a 19-41 team, after all.
Lakers’ LeBron James on Thunder GM Sam Presti: “The MVP over there is Sam Presti… I don’t understand this guy’s eye for talent. He drafted KD, Russ, Jeff Green, Serge Ibaka, Reggie Jackson, Josh Giddey. … This guy is pretty damn good.” pic.twitter.com/mNb35Ggi6P
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) February 19, 2022
Rich Paul recently met with Lakers ownership and continued to deny any friction between LeBron and the front office. However, we have seen this same song and dance play out before and if LeBron wants to get Rob Pelinka fired he is going to try his best to make it happen.
These Lakers rumors mean nothing for Sam Presti, though.
Perhaps the reason why LeBron and Klutch have backed off on this proposed tension is the fact that it does not make a lot of sense for Sam Presti to become the GM of the Lakers. While working for the Lakers is a dream for many, Presti would be taking a worse job.
Presti has done a lot of work to not only start building something in OKC with the current players but by also establishing a foundation with a slew of draft capital. Presti has a long-term plan going in OKC and he absolutely has earned the benefit of the doubt to assume that he will draft the right players.
He hit a home run recently in Josh Giddey and he drafted three future MVPs. Sure, they did not win a title together, but as LeBron mentions, Presti and his team have a great eye for talent and with so much draft capital they have a lot of potential to build a contending team.
Meanwhile, if Presti came to LA he would be coming to a team that LeBron is probably going to leave in two years with a star in Anthony Davis who hardly can play 70 games in a season. No draft capital, no young assets, a barren wasteland that he would have to fix.
LeBron James can dream of Sam Presti all he wants. These Lakers rumors will never come to fruition. He could still get Rob Pelinka fired, though.