Report: Rob Pelinka agrees to contract extension with Lakers that will run through 2026

According to a Saturday report, the Los Angeles Lakers reached a contract extension with the team’s vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka earlier this summer.

In fact, the extension reportedly was made official “around the time” of new head coach Darvin Ham’s hiring, which took place back in early June.

Pelinka first joined the Lakers front office in 2017, and his career as one of the organization’s key decision makers has had its high points and low points. Of course, the highest point has been the 2020 NBA championship that the Lakers won in the NBA bubble.

Pelinka played a huge role in creating that championship-winning squad. The trade to acquire superstar big man Anthony Davis in 2019 was orchestrated by Pelinka and the rest of the team’s front office.

Though Pelinka’s role in the team’s front office began in 2017, he’d already had a strong relationship with the team for quite some time. That is because he served as late Lakers great Kobe Bryant’s agent for many years.

Pelinka was one of the people hit hardest by the tragic loss of Bryant back in 2020. He spoke eloquently about his relationship with Bryant at the beautiful and heartbreaking memorial service that was held at the Lakers’ arena.

These days, Pelinka is surely dedicated to honoring his former client and longtime friend by maintaining the Lakers’ winning legacy.

The 2021-22 season absolutely did not go as planned in that regard. Prior to the season, Pelinka executed a blockbuster deal for former MVP Russell Westbrook. While the Lakers were seen as title contenders following the trade, the team ended up failing to make the playoffs.

Now, Pelinka and company are surely hoping that the team can achieve a more favorable outcome this season. The biggest deciding factor for the Lakers this season may be whether or not the players on the roster can remain healthy.

The Lakers dealt with injuries to multiple key players laster season, and it dramatically impacted their ability to find success.

The extension for Pelinka serves as a major indication from the team’s ownership that confidence is high despite last season’s struggles. Hopefully, he and the team can prove this season that the confidence is warranted.

The Lakers will tip off their 2022-23 campaign with an Oct. 18 matchup versus the defending champion Golden State Warriors.