The Los Angeles Lakers have struggled to find impactful players in the draft under Rob Pelinka, which is a massive problem in the second apron era. Every dollar matters. Teams need star players to compete for championships, but depth is more important than ever. Cheap contracts are the only way to balance out the roster. Mark Walter has to figure out how the Lakers can nail the draft if he wants to come anywhere near the success he’s had with the Dodgers.
Walter needs to go in a different direction with who’s leading the draft. Pelinka's two first-round draft picks have been busts. He hit on Max Christie in the second round, but the rest of his selections have flopped or haven't been given enough time. The Lakers did strike gold with Austin Reaves as an undrafted free agent, but they can’t have two rookie hits in seven years.
Pelinka’s overall track record is hit and miss. He pulled off the Luka Doncic trade and architected the 2020 championships roster. He deserves credit for those moves, but there have been plenty of misses along the way. If Walter is happy with Pelinka leading the front office, he must find someone to take over the draft.
Lakers must solve their Rob Pelinka draft problem immediately
Walter is investing heavily in the Lakers. Fans know they were a family business before the billionaire took over. Walter is adding to the front office and scouting departments, along with several other changes. LA has already hired one assistant general manager and plans to target another specifically focused on the draft. Walter is using his staff from the Dodgers to help make these moves.
The Lakers are an iconic franchise, and Walter must invest heavily to improve their draft track record. Otherwise, Los Angeles will be relying on a Luka Doncic miracle to bring an 18th championship home. They need a larger scouting department, more emphasis on the draft, and to let someone other than Pelinka lead the room on draft night.
The franchise is in a tricky position. Luka fell into their laps unexpectedly. The Lakers got him at an absolute steal in the middle of his prime. They want to go all-in to build around him, but that will cost them their draft capital. LA has three tradeable first-round picks on draft night. Having the 25th pick on a cheap contract is a massive win if the Lakers can turn the prospect into a nightly contributor quickly. For win-now help, the best move may be a trade.
The Lakers must invest in the draft. Oklahoma City and San Antonio are the top two teams in the Western Conference right now and have both built heavily through the draft. Those affordable contracts have allowed them to add the needed pieces to become elite. Walter must take notes and find a way to maximize this team-building avenue that the Lakers are not using.
The Los Angeles Lakers must find talent in the draft, which means taking away Rob Pelinka’s power. Failing on the only two first-round picks made in seven years is a problem that Walter has to fix. It is the easiest path to winning a title with Luka Doncic running the show, so changes must be made.
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