Sep 25, 2024; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka at press conference at UCLA Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Lakers' Trade Plans Revealed By Rob Pelinka

Originally posted on Los Angeles Lakers on SI
By Jason Fray | Last updated Sep 27, 2025 3:30 PM ET

Has there been a change of heart for Los Angeles Lakers front office executive Rob Pelinka?

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All offseason, reports have been trickling out indicating that the Lakers would be reticent in trading future draft captial/acquiring players on multi-year deals with the idea that they would preserve roster flexibility moving forward.

That line of thinking may work for some teams — though the most decorated franchise in the NBA along with a rabid fanbase may not operate with such patience. This line of thinking is amplified further by the fact the team should be in a win-now mode given LeBron James is about to turn 41 years old in December — not to mention the necessity in maximizing the apex prime of 26-year-old Luka Doncic's career.

During media day on Thursday, Pelinka seemed to have a change of heart from a philosophical standpoint. As he said, "if a transaction comes to us that leads to sustain Lakers excellence and puts us in a position to increase our odds of winning a championship we would put future draft capital in to make that move."

Rob Pelinka: "If a transaction comes to us that leads to sustain Lakers excellence and puts us in a position to increase our odds of winning a championship we would put future draft capital in to make that move" pic.twitter.com/j7E9qcti3v
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) September 25, 2025

Speaking of picks, the Lakers do have their first-round picks in 2026, 2028, and 2030. The value of those picks may be lessened given the fact that Doncic is now on the roster, and the team projects to be at worst a playoff competitive when zooming out the next five-to-seven seasons.

Speaking of Draft Capital...

The team's 2027 pick is headed to the Utah Jazz (unless it's one of the top four selections). In 2029, their first-round pick is owed to the Dallas Mavericks stemming from the Doncic deal.

If Pelinka is being forthright about opening things up, this could net the Lakers some real assets moving forward. The team would have to cobble together contracts along with picks to acquire talent to better fit alongside Doncic.

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Ultimately, it comes down to the Slovenian star. If the team is to be built around him as the face of the franchise, the Lakers need to do everything in their power to maximize his talents. This includes getting athletes who can run in transition and above all else defend at an above-average level.

Garnering more perimeter shooting is also something to take note of. With James potentially leaving after this season, and Austin Reaves in a bit of a contract pickle himself, much more will be revealed over the next calendar year as to the direction of this team moving forward.