Jeanie Buss orchestrated Rob Pelinka's rise up the Los Angeles Lakers' ranks. From general manager to president of basketball operations, Buss has always been the catalyst for giving Pelinka a cushiony seat within the Lakers organization. She will continue to be important for him as a new majority ownership group moves in (again).
Josh Kushner and Bob Iger are purchasing the Lakers from Mark Walter. That will mean at least some form of changes are on the way when the sale is officially finalized and the new owners are approved by the NBA. One of the things that is not immediately expected to change is Buss' role.
Iger stated they intend to honor the agreement Buss had with Walter to remain Lakers governor. While things can change, and the new owner admitted as much, that does temporarily keep Jeanie in place to oversee the flagship franchise in Los Angeles. That should keep Pelinka in the mix as well.
Jeanie Buss should help Rob Pelinka maintain his spot in Los Angeles
ESPN's Dave McMenamin spoke to several of his sources regarding the shocking $12.5 billion sale of the Lakers. There was a pertinent comment in there with relation to the Buss-Pelinka dynamic.
"Another longtime agent, who currently has a client on the Lakers, told ESPN he believes Iger's statement bodes well for Pelinka, who in 2025 signed a multiyear extension with the franchise. 'As long as Jeanie's in a good position, I think Rob is in a good position,' the agent said."
If that agent's assessment is correct, this could make Pelinka's staying power contingent on Buss' ability to remain in the role as governor. However, Jeanie could also buy Rob just enough time to ultimately outlast her.
Rob Pelinka may ultimately outlast Jeanie Buss with the Lakers
Let us think up a best-case scenario here. Buss and Pelinka stay right where they are as the Lakers' offseason retool amounts to a championship within the next two seasons amid the ownership takeover behind the scenes. Boom, both of them have staying power and are going nowhere.
Worst-case scenario for those two? Buss and Pelinka are both ousted if the Lakers are underwhelming as the new owners move in.
Somewhere in the middle (in Pelinka's case)? The Lakers are knocking on the door, but have not quite broken through while Walter hands off the organization to Kushner and Iger. The new owners pivot to a figure they trust more as governor, but allow Pelinka an attempt to finish what he started based off promising initial returns.
Most of these scenarios do leave Pelinka joint at the hip with Buss. However, there is at least a version of events where she becomes a launching pad for his prolonged stay. In any of those events, though, Rob's Lakers future would be largely connected to Jeanie, as it always has been.
Add us as a preferred source on Google