Los Angeles Lakers General Manager Rob Pelinka said on May 18 that the team is in regular communication with guard Luka Doncic as they look to make changes to the roster this offseason. The Lakers are planning to build around Doncic, using available salary cap space and draft picks to add players through free agency, trades, and the NBA Draft.
The collaboration between team management and their star player reflects a growing trend in professional basketball where franchise leaders seek input from key athletes when making personnel decisions. Pelinka described the process as an “ongoing, collaborative process,” emphasizing that it is not simply about fulfilling specific requests from Doncic.
“I think the keyword is that’s an ongoing, collaborative process,” Pelinka said during his end-of-season press conference. “It’s not, ‘Hey, I want X, Y and Z.’ So we’re in constant communication with him and his team. I plan on seeing him before he takes off to go home and spend some time with his daughters. We’re going to get together, I think on Friday or Saturday, so ongoing dialogue.
“He’s an incredible partner. His basketball IQ on the court is something we get to see as fans. JJ and I get to see his basketball knowledge in terms of other players in the league, and the way he wants to play and who he wants to play with. His knowledge base is vast, so those dyes and collaboration with him are actually really inspirational. He also does it in a way where he wants to do his job great and he wants to let JJ do his job great, and let me do my job great. So they really are productive conversations through that lens,” Pelinka said.
Reports indicate that the Lakers hope to secure a secondary creator for Doncic long-term—likely Austin Reaves—and improve their center position by adding a rim-running option familiar from Doncic’s previous teams. The front office also aims for more two-way wings who can defend well on the perimeter while providing consistent shooting.
Doncic finished fourth in NBA MVP voting after leading the league in scoring during his first full season with Los Angeles.
