Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka said on May 29 that the team’s strong performance in March could serve as a blueprint for building around star player Luka Doncic. With only six players under guaranteed contracts and significant cap space available, the Lakers have an opportunity to reshape their roster after being eliminated in the second round of the NBA Playoffs.
Pelinka pointed to the 16-2 stretch in March as evidence of what works for the team. “At the trade deadline obviously we added Luke Kennard. We think the spacing that he brought, Rui coming on and providing incredible shooting down the stretch and in the playoffs, really opened up sort of the way we wanted to play and the way JJ wanted to coach by adding shooting to the lineup,” Pelinka said after elimination. “I think that March stretch was a powerful and strong data point, proof of concept, to go 16-2 and play as good as any team in the NBA during that stretch. That window and that period of time will be a part of our deconstruction as we figure out how to retrofit things around our primary pieces.”
During this period, Los Angeles was among league leaders before injuries sidelined both Doncic and Austin Reaves. Despite these setbacks, they managed to win a playoff series without their top player.
The ongoing Western Conference Finals between Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are also influencing discussions about whether more significant changes are needed for Los Angeles to compete at a higher level.
Another major decision concerns LeBron James, who is an unrestricted free agent entering his potential 24th season at age 42 if he chooses to continue playing. Reports indicate James wants clarity from management regarding his contract terms and how additional salary cap space will be used before making any commitment.
