Westbrook trade and 9 other regrettable Lakers moves Pelinka botched
By Tyler Watts
8. Signing Marc Gasol
The Lakers’ offseason plan after winning the championship was unclear. They wanted a center to play next to Anthony Davis, especially in the regular season, so they signed Gasol and Montrezl Harrell in free agency. It meant dumping JaVale McGee and losing a second-round draft pick.
Gasol got a two-year minimum deal in LA. They wanted his championship experience, but they knew the 36-year-old was past his prime. He showed signs of slippage in Toronto in 2020, so it was unclear why Rob Pelinka handed him a two-year deal in free agency.
The three-time All-Star struggled with the Lakers, including being limited to 52 regular season games. It was a constant headache for former head coach Frank Vogel, especially after the Lakers added Andre Drummond in the buyout market. There were too many options, and Vogel struggled to find a consistent role for each player.
The Lakers had to spend another second-round pick to dump Marc Gasol in the 2021 offseason, and the veteran big man was quickly waived. The former Defensive Player of the Year spent his final season with the Lakers where he failed to live up to expectations. To make matters worse, Pelinka gave up two second-round draft picks and JaVale McGee for one down year of Gasol.