Los Angeles Lakers general manager and president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka held a press conference following the team’s playoff elimination, addressing the futures of key players, including LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves.
On LeBron James:
“We may have never seen a player respect the game as much as LeBron does. He has given so much to his teammates and this organization, and our top priority is to give back to him.”
“First and foremost, we want to give him the space and time he needs to decide his next move. Does he want to play another NBA season? As he mentioned last night, this will be family time, and time with his inner circle. We want to respect that decision.”
“Of course, any team, including ours, would be thrilled to have a player like LeBron James.”
On the team’s core:
“Our desired roster template will be built around Luka and the elements he needs. Obviously, he is the leader and core of this team going forward, and we want to build the right way around him.”
On Austin Reaves:
“He started his journey as a Laker and has made it clear he wants to continue as a Laker. We feel the same way. We want his story to continue in the purple and gold. There are rules and timing issues, but both sides have made it clear we want to reach an agreement for him to continue his outstanding career here.”
On offseason moves:
“We have 15 roster spots. You mentioned three players (Reaves, James, Doncic). That leaves 12 spots to build the roster. We also have three two-way contract slots, and we’ve seen how two-way players can contribute during the regular season. We have enough tools to build a team. JJ and I are confident in our offseason plans to have a team by the start of next season that we can all be extremely proud of and that can go all the way.”
Pelinka also noted that the Lakers plan to hire two assistant general managers—one focused on scouting and player development, the other on strategy and data analysis. Additionally, the team will use the space freed up by relocating their G League affiliate to upgrade training facilities, adding biomechanics and medical areas.
