LOS ANGELES — Lakers president Rob Pelinka reportedly closed ESPN Trade Machine immediately after Luka Dončić delivered the clearest possible instruction regarding roster construction: do your job.
Pelinka recently explained that Dončić has been direct about not wanting to act as the Lakers’ general manager or head coach, instead telling the people in those jobs to handle the responsibilities themselves.
The message reportedly caused a brief silence inside the front office.
Pelinka then slowly closed a laptop containing 14 hypothetical three-team trades, two protected first-round picks and a browser tab labeled ‘centers who might become available.’
‘Understood,’ one fictional Lakers executive said. ‘We will resume independently operating the basketball team.’
Sources say Dončić’s request has simplified the organizational structure considerably. JJ Redick will coach. Pelinka will manage the roster. Luka will continue doing the less complicated job of creating nearly every useful possession once the game begins.
The Lakers had reportedly prepared several scenarios in which Dončić would be consulted on personnel decisions, free-agent targets and potential trades.
Dončić instead appears to prefer the revolutionary arrangement where executives make executive decisions and players play basketball.
Pelinka is said to be adjusting well.
By late afternoon, he had reopened the laptop.
This time, sources confirmed, ESPN Trade Machine was no longer on the screen.
It was only minimized.
