Despite coming off a disappointing first round playoff loss, the Los Angeles Lakers didn’t make any significant roster changes this offseason.
Outside of drafting Dalton Knecht and Bronny James to replace Taurean Prince and Spencer Dinwiddie, the Lakers are heading into the 2024-25 season with the same roster from a year ago.
While the Lakers have two tradable first-round picks at their disposal, general manager Rob Pelinka has constantly emphasized that it takes two to tango. He says he is willing to trade picks in the right deal that leads to sustained excellence, but that has not come to be just yet.
For now, Pelinka is preaching continuity and how the Lakers can benefit from keeping their core together in an interview with ESPN 710 Los Angeles:
“Listen, continuity is an ingredient in sports that is always successful. If you look at sort of sustainable championship teams, there is continuity at the center of it. So that’s an ingredient that we strive for. That said, we’re not gonna settle into continuity or not looking for ways to improve our roster. But that will be through a lens and sort of making sure that is we do something, it’s super smart for both the now and the long-term. That’s a tight rope to balance on.”
Pelinka is not wrong that continuity can often lead to success in the NBA, as evidenced by recent champions like the Boston Celtics and Denver Nuggets.
Until this offseason though, continuity has not been a priority for the Lakers in the LeBron James and Anthony Davis era with them seemingly turning over their roster on a yearly basis. That includes the 2020 offseason after they won the championship.
Given the challenges brought on by the new CBA, making significant roster moves is more difficult which is why the Lakers are now leaning on continuity and player development to build sustainable success.
Does Rob Pelinka believe Lakers can compete for championship?
At a recent press conference, Rob Pelinka was asked if the Lakers can compete for a championship as currently constructed and had an interesting answer.
“I think that’s really a question that I think we’ll have a better sense on after 30 games,” Pelinka said. “But we believe in this group, and the 15 guys that play the games are gonna control the wins and losses with their effort, with how hard we play, with the pride we play with, with how organized and detail-oriented we are. I can tell you we can’t guarantee wins or losses, but we can guarantee that that’s going on with these guys. So the confidence and belief level is high. But the work is never done. So, we’ll continue to look for ways if we can to upgrade the roster. That’s part of our jobs and something we always have an open eye to doing. But if we have good health and good fortune, I really like our chances.”
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