“He was almost released from the Lakers. What saved him was…”
If the end of last season was generally successful for the Lakers, things could have turned out very differently. According to the latest rumors, an executive from the franchise could even have been pushed out as part of a very specific scenario!
Considering the last few months, their supporters have reason to be satisfied. After finishing the 2022-23 season in the conference finals, the Lakers livened up the summer market by making several nice moves. With a view to being even more competitive next year, they have indeed managed to bring in a lot of free agents into their ranks and therefore seem to have greatly strengthened their squad.
It’s hard not to consider all these arrivals as good news as Darvin Ham lacked bench depth. From now on, each position seems doubled in a qualitative way and the second unit of the Angelinos is perhaps on paper the best in the league. In addition to that, several executives including Austin Reaves and Anthony Davis have agreed to extend their contract to the delight of fans…
The Laker came very close to dismissal before the trade deadline
In the tough as the last trade deadline approached, the Lakers were able to count on Rob Pelinka to revive them. The latter indeed managed to integrate D’Angelo Russell or even Jarred Vanderbilt into the squad and thus would have saved the season… as well as his skin according to Stephen A. Smith. In the show First Takethe famous American journalist confides that he is convinced that the Lakers GM was in great danger at the time:
If it hadn’t happened at the trade deadline with the arrivals of D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt and even Rui Hachimura a little earlier, Rob Pelinka would have been kicked out. He was almost cleared. What saved him was really this trade deadline but Jeanie Buss was ready to get rid of him. Except that since then, Rob Pelinka has really done a remarkable job.
The additions of Vanderbilt, D-Lo and Rui Hachimura allowed the Purples and Golds to do great things last season. To tell the truth, the three men played a decisive role in the great playoff success that the team was able to achieve and Jeanie Buss must probably have been delighted to see that the work of her general manager bore fruit. She also hopes that this will happen again with the new kids.
Among the players who have just arrived in Los Angeles, who will be those who will play a decisive role in the months to come? Difficult to say but we can clearly imagine that Christian Wood, for example, will often be called upon if Anthony Davis’ physical problems persist. One thing is sure, Darvin Ham will give each of them a chance and a good surprise cannot be ruled out…
Rob Pelinka is a true survivor. While he saw his place threatened before the last trade deadline, the Lakers GM managed to regain the trust of Jeanie Buss thanks to his moves. Let’s hope for the fans that the summer market will prove him right again…
