Rob Pelinka went all-in this offseason, and not everyone is convinced it paid off. After gutting the asset cupboard to land 7’2 rim-protector Walker Kessler and handing Austin Reaves a massive extension, the Lakers checked the boxes Luka Doncic demanded. But the collateral damage is real: LeBron James is gone, former DPOY Marcus Smart is gone, and the perimeter depth that Luke Kennard provided has vanished with him.

James’ exit freed the $52 million in cap space Pelinka used to acquire Kessler, the rim-protector Doncic had specifically requested as his top priority. Pelinka may have satisfied the locker room, but critics say the expensive retooling left the team’s defensive liabilities untouched, just repackaged. ESPN’s Joe Fortenbaugh didn’t mince words on First Take, delivering a blunt reality check on whether this new-look Lakers core can actually contend.

“The problem was you had defensive issues prior to everything that happened this offseason. Then you went out, you gave up a bunch of assets, you spent a bunch of money on the team and then you lost it all over again,” Fortenbaugh ssaid. “You still have defensive issues and in the modern NBA your offense is your floor. Everybody can score in the NBA right now. The team that ranked dead last in scoring this season would’ve been top 5 in scoring 10 years ago. Everybody can score. When you get to the playoffs it’s about stops.”

The analyst argued that while the front office spent massive capital to build a tailored lineup around Doncic, who along with Austin Reaves has no defensive chops, they ultimately did nothing to elevate their defensive ceiling that is a determining factor in the postseason. His example was recent too.

The numbers back that concern: the Lakers posted a defensive rating of 114.7 in 2024-25 and 115.3 the season prior, bottom-half marks in both years. Raising the question of whether any addition short of a defensive overhaul can move the needle.

“You saw it with the Spurs against OKC and then you saw it again in the Knicks series when offense go cold and legs get tired,” Fortenbaugh explained to the panel. “The Lakers didn’t improve their defense. Letting [LeBron] James go, it’s the right move because you need to start a new era. But whether or not you got better, I disagree. I don’t think the team got better.”

The debate stems from the enormous financial and draft capital commitments the Lakers gave up to pry Kessler away from the Utah Jazz, with whom Kessler was dissatisfied.

To land the center, Pelinka surrendered unprotected first-round draft picks in 2031 and 2033, along with first-round pick swaps in 2028 and 2030. He then signed Kessler to a four-year, $130 million contract.

When combined with long-term financial commitments handed out to Reaves, Quentin Grimes, and Sandro Mamukelashvili, the Lakers spent over $261 million to completely reshape their post-LeBron James identity.

While Kessler’s individual shot-blocking skills remain elite, Fortenbaugh emphasized that modern-era payoffs expose teams that rely too heavily on a one-dimensional system.

Interior protection and scoring aren’t going to win a best-of-seven series unless the Lakers solidify their perimeter. It also didn’t help that till late January 2026, the Lakers had visible chemistry issues.

Even the first-ever unanimous DPOY, Victor Wembanyama, struggled with the offensive load when the San Antonio Spurs played against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

It was also noticeable that the New York Knicks’ offense showed fatigue in the Finals. He revealed clear evidence that offensive production drops off dramatically when physical fatigue sets in.

They’re still on the hunt for a wing. Jonathan Kuminga, an unrestricted free agent, is reportedly a target.

But the pressure will be entirely on head coach JJ Redick to prove that Kessler and the newly acquired supporting cast perform like a defensive unit and prove the critics wrong.