No one could’ve called the Los Angeles Lakers’ firing of long-time scouting department members and minority owners Jesse and Joey Buss a few days ago, and now, more changes are being made. New owner Mark Walter, also the owner of the LA Dodgers, was recently joined by Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi, affiliated with the Dodgers, in an advisory role. With their involvement, questions about Lakers GM Rob Pelinka have surfaced, and one insider gave his take on Pelinka’s future.

Speaking to Trevor Lane of Lakers Nation, insider Anthony Witrado shared that this arrangement has been an ongoing discussion since Mark Walter took charge. This arrangement isn’t a power grab, but rather a slow drip becoming a steady stream, which is why the move might have surprised some people. Witrado pointed to the margins, something the Lakers have struggled with in the past.

“You look at a contract like Jake LaRavia… nobody thought of him as like this big superstar guy. He’s certainly not going to get a max deal or anything like that. But what kind of value can you extract from him based on what he gives you on the court, and also, what you have to pay him?” Witrado said.

Witrado compares the Lakers to the Dodgers and what defines them. Edges of improvement, building depth, and exploiting inefficiencies. If that’s the new standard, then Pelinka’s approach is now being measured against something sharper and proven.

Just a few days ago, the Lakers let go of most of their scouting department as a part of a major reshuffling, and Witrado pointed to the significance of the event. He believes that the changes were a necessity, and they give a chance for Farhan and Friedman to provide their inputs.

During the same episode, Trevor Lane shared, “Mark Walters, someone who very much empowers his decision makers, the people that he believes are going to make the correct decisions on the front office level. And it’s not all just spreadsheet-driven. It’s not all analytics, but it’s a blending of those two things, which is very, very important.”

A new model and culture is now set to become the Lakers’ foundation, and somewhere in that shift lies Pelinka. Not removed or replaced, but reshaped by forces that now surround him.

Doubt Around Pelinka’s Long-Term Fit In Los Angeles Intensifies

Doubts about Pelinka’s future aren’t just coming from outside, but from within NBA circles. One anonymous former NBA executive recently delivered a blunt assessment of Pelinka’s future after the Buss brothers were fired.

“The Lakers won’t win a title in the Luka era if they keep Rob.” According to him, Walter needs to “hire someone with a smarter basketball mind than Rob to run the basketball operations,” especially with their championship timeline now set around Luka Doncic.

The executive didn’t stop there. He challenged the long-standing credit given to the Buss brothers for identifying breakout star Austin Reaves, calling the story a myth.

“Everyone always gives them credit for finding Austin, but Austin chose to work out for the Lakers and chose not to get drafted by the Pistons so he could land with the Lakers. That wasn’t some grand find by the Buss brothers. That was all Austin and his camp,” he said

With a few simple words, he completely reframed the conversation around one of LA’s most celebrated developments as simple luck, not a scouting masterclass.

He also suggested that Pelinka could be in trouble given Mark Walter’s close relationship with Los Angeles Lakers legend and former GM Magic Johnson, who is also an owner of the Dodgers. Johnson publicly aired many grievances with Pelinka, claiming he “backstabbed” Johnson. If Magic’s voice influences the new structure, Pelinka’s standing becomes even shakier. Share your thoughts below.