The Los Angeles Lakers are not having the greatest offseason of all time at the moment. Their biggest free-agency target, Klay Thompson, decided to look them off, choosing the Dallas Mavericks instead. And since then, the franchise has been unable to make a single move. However, despite this storm around LA, Undisputed analyst refuses to give up on the team, even claiming that they could be up to something.
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Initially, Nichols started off by listing the Lakers’ failures this season, including their failure to sign Thompson, despite his father being a Lakers legend. She even pointed out that this would not disappoint anyone more than Mychal Thompson himself.
“They [Lakers] made him [Klay Thompson] a good offer, and he just decided he would rather go to Dallas, in part because they are championship contenders, no state taxes there, and a whole bunch of reasons. His father [Mychal Thompson] was actually the most disappointed Laker fan of all, but Klay didn’t pick the Lakers.
Nichols then went on to give the Lakers’ General Manager, Rob Pelinka the benefit of the doubt, saying that he and his colleagues often do their work in silence. She even brought up the case of the OKC Thunder’s General Manager, Sam Presti, who she said, also doesn’t make a lot of noise, before he pulls off an incredible move.
“You don’t have to make a lot of noise to be an effective General Manager. Sam Presti moves in silence moves in silence… And we don’t see what he is going to do, until he does it, and then bam! He pulls something of. So, maybe Rob Pelinka had all kinds of discussions, and we don’t know about them”
The former ESPN analyst then concluded her argument by saying that she isn’t quite ready to sign off on the Lakers just yet. She reminded her panelists that there is a long time until the trade deadline, and it still remains to be seen what JJ Redick can do with this team.
“I’m not ready to fry the Lakers front office here, because there is a long time between now and the trade deadline. And there is nothing wrong with seeing what this team is, seeing what difference JJ Redick is going to make, seeing if Gabe Vincent and Jarred Vanderbilt can make significant contributions and be healthier, and see who is available in February to try to make some tweaks.”
Despite a quiet free agency, @Rachel__Nichols is not ready to “fry” the Lakers front office: pic.twitter.com/swDGr3lK0U
— UNDISPUTED (@undisputed) July 8, 2024
Rachel Nichols makes multiple valid arguments here. For starters, many may have forgotten that the Lakers had two very significant role players missing throughout last season: Gabe Vincent and Jarred Vanderbilt. And of course, the franchise’s last head coach, Darvin Ham was often criticized for not making adjustments. JJ Redick could be very different.
With how topsy-turvy the Lakers’ last season was, it would be no surprise if Rob Pelinka doesn’t quite know what the franchise needs. After all, the sample size of what they are today is little to nothing. So, if he is waiting to observe the team, before making moves during the season, it may not be as bad of a move as many are making it out to be.
That said, if things don’t pan out for LA this season, this lack of activity in the pre-season will likely be brought up again. And at that point, Pelinka’s job may very well be in danger.
