Speculation of Rob Pelinka's job being under immediate pressure quickly surfaced when talk of a second-half surge being needed this season made the rounds on NBA aggregation accounts all over Twitter/X. Los Angeles Lakers insider Jovan Buha was brought in to quickly douse the flames.
Buha said, "Nothing has changed from what I’ve reported/said on my show. He’s going to be leading their front-office overhaul this summer."
There are certainly plenty of Lakers fans who are frustrated with the work Pelinka has done in Los Angeles. While the public opinion remains spotty, the internal outlook is the same, if Buha is correct. The Lakers president should get his opportunity to enact his vision, retooling and remolding the team around Luka Doncic as he sees fit.
Rob Pelinka will get a real chance to build around Luka before any verdict comes down
Summer of 2026 — that is Pelinka's real test in the new era of Lakers basketball. That is when all this financial flexibility that has been created needs to get put to good use.
It would be surprising to see Los Angeles part ways with their president and general manager before then. As much as some fans may want to see it, the Lakers do not appear to be in any rush to pull the chord just yet.
The regime change within the organization has sparked some curiosity over the type of makeover that could be had in the front office. However, Mark Walter and his group sound aligned with what Pelinka and Jeanie Buss want to do, even consulting them in the process.
Pelinka told reporters after the trade deadline: "When Mark bought the team, Jeanie and I did a really deep dive with him on sort of the areas he wants to grow. ... There will be some positive changes and we will build things out."
It sure sounds like there's a collaborative effort from all those involved here. One would imagine that Buss still being in place as the governor gives Pelinka plenty of breathing room, considering his rise up the ranks in the Lakers organization has largely been connected to her being there.
Now, if the Lakers president fails to surround his new franchise superstar with a contending roster in the summer, that could spark a different conversation. The key point here remains the same, though. Pelinka will be afforded his chance to oversee that pivotal moment for the organization.