Lakers GM Rob Pelinka and new coach JJ Redick met with the NBA reporters on Wednesday and said a whole lot of nothing — beyond the usual expression of high hopes for the season.
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But one part of the press conference stood out for Los Angeles fans, and that was the part about Pelinka suggesting he's open to trading the team's first-round draft picks. That is, of course, if the right scenario and the right young star becomes available.
"I think the philosophy that JJ and I are aligned on is we want to build sustainable Lakers excellence," Pelinka told reporters, via RealGM. "And I think, when we talk about moves, you can make a move that backfires. I think every GM has made a trade where he says, 'Maybe that one wasn't ideal.' But every lens that we look through has to lead to sustainable Lakers excellence."
While the Lakers are viewed as a middle-of-the-pack team entering the season, they also still have LeBron James and Anthony Davis. They do have familiarity — as LA is just one of three teams to have not signed an outside free agent to a standard deal (Boston and Cleveland are the others). Nor did the Lakers make a trade.
But one thing to keep in mind is they have until February to make a change. With a new coach, it's pretty evident they want to see how things shake out early. If it doesn't go well, though, it's good to know Pelinka is armed with picks and willing to move them.
(This article originally appeared on Hoops Wire and was syndicated with permission.)
