Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka reportedly has been “very active” this offseason trying to improve the Lakers roster.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, there are two areas in which Pelinka is hoping to improve on the Lakers’ current roster.
Woj says on "NBA Today" that Rob Pelinka has been "very active" to make the Lakers roster better, particularly shooting and big men.#NBATwitter #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/yALt2GxaHl
— 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧' 𝐍𝐁𝐀 (@_Talkin_NBA) August 17, 2022
“Rob Pelinka has still been very active, even in the dog days of August,” Wojnarowski said. “He’s been on the phone a lot. He’s still trying to find deals to bring in more shooting, perhaps some size, and so I think those conversations continue all the way into training camp and the start of the season.
“I still think this Laker roster may look – maybe not dramatically different – but subtly different going into next season.”
There’s no doubt that Los Angeles could use some more shooting around LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook in the 2022-23 season. The team already lost one of its best shooters from last season in Malik Monk, as he signed a deal in free agency with the Sacramento Kings.
So far this offseason, the Lakers have brought in Juan Toscano-Anderson, Lonnie Walker IV, Damian Jones and Thomas Bryant in free agency. While Bryant and Jones do give the Lakers some more size, Bryant has also been injury prone the past few seasons, and the team may want more depth at the center position.
Los Angeles missed the playoffs in the 2021-22 campaign, and it appears Pelinka is trying to make the necessary changes to avoid that outcome in the 2022-23 campaign.
The team could try to deal Westbrook to bring in more shooting, but it would likely need to part ways with some draft capital in order to get a team to absorb his contract.
There’s still plenty of time for Los Angeles to make a move, and Pelinka seems determined to make one to establish the Lakers as title contenders once again in the Western Conference.
