Lakers fans are thrilled with Rob Pelinka’s moves so far in Free Agency
Los Angeles Lakers fans were big-time celebrating the moves general manager Rob Pelinka made at the start of free agency.
The Lakers were one of the biggest movers in the trade market when they made a deal for Russell Westbrook. Now they’re among the most active in free agency.
General manager Rob Pelinka has his star-studded trio. The arrival of free agency gave him a chance to add role players. He didn’t hold back.
Los Angeles brought back a trio of familiar faces including forward Trevor Ariza from the Heat, guard Wayne Ellington from the Pistons and center Dwight Howard from the 76ers.
Lakers fans were full of praise for Rob Pelinka in free agency
Pelinka was hailed as a genius for his moves.
ROB PELINKA RIGHT NOW: #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/6w06fuc0Rm
— Lakers Lead (@LakersLead) August 2, 2021
Rob Pelinka out here SHINING right now I see!!! Don’t mind me and Carry the hell on...
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) August 3, 2021
OK so what I get out of this is that Rob pelinka just added a 9 million trade exception so if we trade less and we get more in return those $9 million cover the spread?! We getting something maybe even Buddy !
— DTLF (@DantheLakersFAN) August 3, 2021
Rob’s a 🐐 pic.twitter.com/8MCxSYeV15
Rob Pelinka coming onto social media after turning Kcp Alex Caruso and Kyle kuzma into patty mills Russell Westbrook Dwight Howard and Melo pic.twitter.com/DW7YLwG4XL
— jw (@jwmedia12) August 3, 2021
https://twitter.com/CurtissKing/status/1422363727211372544
People couldn’t help but make jokes about Pelinka “getting the gang back together.”
This is the opening scene of every heist franchise movie where Rob Pelinka is traveling the world recruiting people from the previous heists for “one last one”
— Daman Rangoola (@damanr) August 2, 2021
Let's get a look at Rob Pelinka & Frank Vogel as they tinker with the Lakers roster: pic.twitter.com/URUzdwywxp
— Jason Smith (@howaboutafresca) August 3, 2021
Rob Pelinka after snatching up every 30+ free agent pic.twitter.com/EdwHEeQ84M
— Jasmine (@JasmineLWatkins) August 2, 2021
Rob Pelinka looking at the veterans minimum like: #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/XMUL6sNnnB
— Lakers Lead (@LakersLead) August 2, 2021
The Lakers would beat the breaks off anyone in the 30 and older league!
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) August 3, 2021
The Lakers are about to go 82-0 in 2012
— Otto Von Biz Markie (@Passionweiss) August 3, 2021
LeBron just likes playing with older guys, apparently.
Dwight Howard will turn 36 this year...when he does, the Lakers will have 4 players 36 or older, which would be the most by any team in a season since LeBron's 2016-17 Cavaliers, who had 6 h/t @EliasSports
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) August 3, 2021
It wasn’t all rainbows for Lakers fans, though. Pelinka did face some criticism for letting beloved guard Alex Caruso leave for the Bulls.
Lakers bringing in Ellington and Ariza is good, but letting Caruso go is bad.
— Josh Lloyd (@redrock_bball) August 3, 2021
my reaction if the Lakers bring back Schroder over Caruso pic.twitter.com/4JlHN5KTVW
— Lake Show Life (@TheLakeShowLife) August 3, 2021
Alex Caruso wanted to stay with the Lakers. He loved being a Laker. He loved Lakers Nation. He loved his teammates. His teammates loved him too. They called him "The G.O.A.T." At the end of the day, the Lakers front office simply didn't value him as much as the Chicago Bulls did.
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) August 3, 2021
The Lakers are loaded, but will they play defense?
I like Ariza a lot for the Lakers, but he's 36. So far they've lost their top wing defenders from last year, Caruso and KCP; plus Kuzma, who improved on D, and the presumed departure of Schroder. Gonna be hard to replace those defensive pieces with minimums.
— Bill Oram (@billoram) August 3, 2021
The frontcourt remains elite defensively with Anthony Davis, LeBron James and Marc Gasol, and now Dwight Howard and Trevor Ariza. Add in Frank Vogel’s coaching and the Lakers should easily remain a top-10 defense. But their perimeter D, a strength last season, has clearly dipped. https://t.co/LKV6sq5Ocj
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) August 3, 2021
Even if there’s skepticism over Caruso and the others, fans are looking forward to what might come next.
https://twitter.com/themofall/status/1422357358890692618?s=20
Rob Pelinka on a tear.. sign and trade for Buddy Hield and let the timeline disintegrate
— BK (@Kennebrewdotcom) August 2, 2021
Los Angeles is trying to rebound from their disappointing first-round exit from the 2021 playoffs at the hands of the Suns.
The team that won the 2020 NBA Championship now looks quite a bit different outside of LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Pelinka and company are making some gambles this offseason by leaning on veterans, but it could all pay off if the team makes it back to the NBA Finals. The window with James, who is 36 years old, won’t be open for much longer.
Next. Westbrook offers new challenge for LeBron. dark