EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — LeBron James has left the building, and that’s not the only big change facing the Los Angeles Lakers in the upcoming season.
James’ departure was still on general manager Rob Pelinka’s mind when he held his start-of-the-season news conference with coach JJ Redick on Thursday.
asserted
he → leave → Thursday
The general manager also exuded optimism about his first discussions with the Lakers’ latest new owners, praised the continued additions to his front office and got excited about the major changes to their roster, headlined by the addition of center Walker Kessler.
asserted
manager → exude → Kessler
Pelinka began the afternoon by thanking James profusely for their eight years together, but he declined to go into any detail about the dissolution of the Lakers’ partnership with the top scorer in NBA history and the focal point of their franchise.
asserted
he → begin → franchise
James informed the Lakers on June 30 that he wouldn’t return, and he chose the Philadelphia 76ers on July 24.
asserted
he → inform → July
“We’re grateful for the LeBron era, and I think the communications with him this offseason were held diplomatically and professionally and honestly,” Pelinka said.
asserted
Pelinka → ’re → him
“It was done amicably, professionally, gracefully, and we look at the whole thing with gratitude.
asserted
we → do → gratitude
It was a great era, and we’re grateful for it.”
asserted
we → ’re → it
James’ eight seasons with the Lakers were the longest continuous stretch with a single team of his NBA career, and he won the franchise’s 17th championship in 2020 while returning it to consistent playoff success, if not annual title contention.
asserted
he → win → success
He even became the first father to play alongside his son in league history, teaming up with Lakers guard Bronny James for the past two seasons.
asserted
He → become → seasons
When James left his son behind to move to Philadelphia, he pointedly did it on a two-year, $8 million deal — a steep discount that the Lakers never got.
asserted
Lakers → leave → that
But if Pelinka and the Lakers feel any disappointment about the circumstances of James’ departure, the GM has no intention of revealing it publicly.
asserted
GM → feel → it
Instead, the Lakers are moving on with a firm focus on maximizing the talents of NBA scoring champion Luka Doncic and fellow high-scoring guard Austin Reaves.
asserted
Lakers → move → Doncic
“Luka is the world’s greatest offensive player, and for us to have an opportunity to have that player in our building every night as a 26-year-old is special, and it requires us to do special things to build a team around it,” Pelinka said.
asserted
Pelinka → require → it
“That’s what we started this summer, and we’re really, really happy with the way it’s looking so far.”
asserted
it → ’ → way
The biggest move was the acquisition of Kessler, the 7-foot-2 center acquired from Utah for a host of first-round draft capital and then signed to a four-year, $130 million contract.
asserted
move → acquire → contract
Kessler fills Doncic’s longstanding desire for a center who can impact the game on both ends, both as a rim protector and a rim-rocking lob finisher.
asserted
who → fill → protector
“I think Walker is a perfect fit for Luka and AR, just in terms of his rim protection and really being an anchor for our defense,” Redick said.
asserted
Redick → think → defense
“That’s an area we’ve struggled with.”
asserted
we → ’ → ?
Redick is already working on the changes he’ll make with James’ departure and Kessler’s arrival.
asserted
he → work → departure
The Lakers have done copious defensive switching in recent years, but Redick understandably wants Kessler to spend his time protecting the rim.
asserted
Kessler → do → rim
Redick also intends to go deeper into his bench on a consistent basis, because that bench has improved: “We’re going to play more guys this year.
asserted
We → intend → guys
We’re just naturally deeper.”
asserted
We → ’re → ?
Those additions include Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, Kevon Looney, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Ziaire Williams, Matisse Thybulle and rookie Cameron Carr, who is already drawing rave reviews from the Lakers’ staff.
asserted
who → include → staff
When asked to speculate on the Lakers’ starting lineup, Redick was typically blunt and sarcastic: “I’m pretty confident in three of the spots.
asserted
I → ask → spots
Even after being sold for the second time in two years, the Lakers are continuing to bolster their infrastructure with changes begun during Dodgers owner Mark Walter’s brief stewardship.
asserted
Lakers → sell → stewardship
Pelinka said he has added more than 15 people to his front office, investing heavily in scouting and development with the goal of becoming the NBA’s best in those categories.
asserted
he → say → categories
Pelinka also expressed a desire for continuity in the Lakers’ roster after years of wholesale upheaval in their desperate attempts to assemble a championship-caliber team around James as he entered his third NBA decade.
asserted
he → express → decade
“One of the things we really wanted to lean into was a team that lined up in age with Luca and AR,” Pelinka said.
asserted
Pelinka → want → Luca
“We want this team to grow together, and I think we were very intentional to get younger and deeper.
asserted
we → want → ?
I think if you look at our roster, that thesis was consistent throughout.”
asserted
thesis → think → roster
The Aporia
