After adding youth and depth via trades, the general manager believes the Lakers can compete the next two months and give him options for next season
for adding shooting, defense and clearing Westbrook’s $47 million set to expire this summer for one protected first-round draft pick. The Lakers were able to retain their 2029 pick, as well as coveted young players Austin Reaves and Max Christie.
“I think it really is an exciting time, I think, for Laker Nation,” Pelinka said. “Just to think about the fact that we have these five young players, 26 and younger, that you can see how even those five guys fit really well around our captains of LeBron and Anthony Davis. So not only does it set us up for hopefully a productive run now … it gives us a core to look at going into next year that is very exciting.
“I think both Magic and I were both really intrigued early with the incredible talent that D’Angelo had, and now you have a mix of the talent, the shooting, the playmaking, IQ, plus the growth he’s been able to gather as a player and I think it makes him really ideally suited,” Pelinka said. “We do see him not just as a player that’s a short-term rental.”
“Doing trades is a little bit like the L.A. house market in that you can’t buy houses that aren’t listed, and ultimately sellers will determine if they want to sell a house or not, and which buyers get them,” he said. “But the last thing you want to do in the housing market is overpay, or spend all your effort and energy trying to buy a house that someone doesn’t want to sell.”
Perhaps tellingly, the Lakers also have the flexibility to move on from just about all of these young pieces this summer if they wish. Russell and Hachimura will be free agents; Beasley has a team option; Reed and Bamba have non-guaranteed deals next season. Vanderbilt has one more year left on his deal, but is widely considered a bargain at under $5 million next season and could be a tradeable contract.
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