The Los Angeles Lakers are entering a new era, and Stephen A. Smith believes that era could begin with a major change in the front office.
Following the Lakers’ record-breaking $12.5 billion sale to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger, Smith delivered a blunt prediction about the future of Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka.
“I think Rob Pelinka will not be there running basketball operations for the Los Angeles Lakers,” Smith said on The Stephen A. Smith Show. “I don’t believe that will happen moving forward.”
Smith’s comments come at a fascinating time for the Lakers.
Smith pointed to Bob Myers, the former Golden State Warriors executive who recently took over basketball operations in Philadelphia.
“Bob Myers gets on the scene making basketball decisions with the Philadelphia 76ers, and in a month he had Jaylen Brown and LeBron James on the squad,” Smith said.
“In a month.”
That comparison is particularly significant for the Lakers.
Los Angeles is entering the Luka Doncic era after LeBron James left for Philadelphia, and the franchise has an enormous amount riding on its ability to build the right roster around its new superstar.
But while Smith sees Pelinka’s future as uncertain, he doesn’t believe the same should necessarily apply to Jeanie Buss.
“She’s synonymous with the Lakers and synonymous with the Laker brand, and she’s adored and revered and respected by everybody in the basketball community,” Smith said.
“She’s the matriarch of basketball as far as I’m concerned. I don’t think you lose somebody like that.”
That distinction is important.
The Lakers have already experienced an extraordinary amount of change.
The Buss family’s decades-long ownership came to an end when Walter took control of the franchise. The team then made the blockbuster move for Doncic, eventually moved on from Anthony Davis, and has now seen James leave Los Angeles.
Now, another ownership transition is on the way.
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