The Los Angeles Lakers are clearly now Luka Doncic’s team, and General Manager Rob Pelinka shared what the franchise player wants from him. A lot of reports circulated this summer about Doncic’s involvement in the Lakers making some bold moves during the NBA offseason. Most superstars have influence with the front office since the team often wants to keep their top star happy for future contract cycles.
Pelinka revealed what exactly Luka wants from him moving forward on ESPN Radio:
“Luka is very clear, like, ‘I want you to do your job. I don’t want to be the GM. I don’t want to be the head coach. JJ, you’re the coach. Rob, you’re the GM and president. Do your jobs. But we can co-create. Let’s share ideas. Let’s break down pros and cons and look, you know, look at all aspects of a potential decision point before we make it.’
He’s been thoughtful. He’s brilliant. And I think he’s really excited about this group, and I think we saw that with some of the clips and footage we’ve seen from Luka’s little mini-camp in Slovenia.”
Pelinka revealed a middle ground that features Doncic sharing ideas but not wanting to run the organization. Losing LeBron James instantly makes fans wonder if Pelinka is taking a shot at James, but it has more to do with wanting to collab with Luka on the new roster.
Luka Doncic Responsible For Dangerous Move
The boldest risk of the offseason for Pelinka featured him trading two first round draft picks and paying a lot of money to get Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz. Reports indicated that Luka most expressed a desire for a younger defensive-minded center from this offseason.
Kessler was acquired with Pelinka knowing he no longer has draft assets to trade for another star. However, it was worth it to appease Doncic and set up a roster similar to the Dallas Mavericks squad that made the NBA Finals in 2024.
The injury woes and limited track record of Kessler could easily see this turning into a huge failure. Pelinka took the chance to put his job on the line to satisfy Luka’s request. The risk factor sees Sandro Mamukelashvili and Kevon Looney as flawed reserves if Kessler gets hurt again.
Will Luka Doncic Influence Other Moves?
The biggest point made by Pelinka is that Doncic doesn’t want to control all his decisions. Kessler was the only player reportedly influenced by Luka. Pelinka was the one to add other names like Quentin Grimes and Collin Sexton.
One noteworthy variable is that Doncic isn’t on a long-term contract and will be a free agent in two seasons. Negative results could inspire a change, even if Pelinka feels comfortable with the roster. The team is losing a lot of production with Rui Hachimura and LeBron gone from the starting lineup.
Unfortunately, the Lakers can’t make many more moves beyond adding to the bench via mid-season trades or buy out signings. Luka’s success will come down to leading a core with Austin Reaves and Kessler as the next best players on the team.
Rob Pelinka Shares What Luka Doncic Wants From Him As GM