If you’re Rob Pelinka, this might be a good time to polish up that resume—just in case.

The Los Angeles Lakers are in the middle of a historic power shift after Jeanie Buss agreed to sell a majority stake in the franchise to billionaire mogul Mark Walter. The eye-popping $10 billion valuation set a new NBA record and instantly flipped the energy inside Crypto.com Arena from “run-it-back” to “rebuild-everything.”

Sure, Buss will retain a minority stake and still sit in the governor’s chair, but let’s be honest—Mark Walter’s the one holding the whiteboard now. And if history has taught us anything about new owners, especially ones who already own half of Los Angeles’ major sports real estate, it’s that they don’t come in to be silent partners. They come in with a vision, a plan… and usually, their own people. Enter Rob Pelinka’s name into the rumor mill.

Before Laker Nation loses its collective mind—don’t worry, yet—the man giving us a sneak peek into Walter’s mindset is none other than Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. And yes, he came with enough quotes to make you think he moonlights for The Ringer.

When asked how Walter operates behind the scenes, Roberts didn’t hesitate: “I think he does everything he can to provide resources, support. He wants to win, and he feels that the fans, the city, deserve that, right? So I think that that’s never lost, and it’s more of challenging us always to kind of how do we become better and not complacent or stagnant.”

That right there? That’s a double-tap to the Pelinka panic button.

Walter already owns the Dodgers, the WNBA’s Sparks, and a piece of Cadillac’s upcoming Formula 1 team. He even dipped his toe into the hockey world with the Professional Women’s Hockey League. In short, the man doesn’t collect franchises like trading cards—he builds empires. And that includes cleaning house, when necessary. “I think a good owner, in my eyes, is a person that lets the people that he hires do their jobs, which he does a great job of… But also kind of holding us all accountable and also providing resources needed… to build a team that’s warranted the championship title of a team every year.”

Hmm.

Pelinka on Thin Ice? History Says Yes

Yeah, Dave. You might want to text Mark, but Rob’s probably texting Bob—as in Bob Myers, the ex-Warriors GM and current top target should the Lakers decide to swap out their front-office face. Just saying.

Let’s not pretend this is all conspiracy-theory theater. There’s precedent. The Red Sox ousted their GM right after selling in 2002. The Dodgers did the same in 2012 after Walter and his Guggenheim crew took over. Even the Bulls replaced Rod Thorn after Jerry Reinsdorf came to town. If you’re Rob Pelinka, that history feels less like trivia and more like a ticking clock.

Pelinka has had a run. He’s been part of the Lakers’ 2020 title, sure. But he’s also responsible for the Russell Westbrook experiment and some questionable asset management that made Lakers fans age five years in one season. Sure, trading for Luka Doncic this year was a grand slam—but even the worst shooters hit a buzzer-beater once in a while. Let’s not forget his roster-building looked shakier than Dwight Howard at the free-throw line for a solid chunk of time.

And Mark Walter? The man doesn’t do shaky.

He brings resources, structure, and ambition that rival any NBA owner—and maybe more importantly, stability. With a fresh $77 billion media rights deal boosting league revenues and franchises like the Celtics being sold for $6.1 billion just months earlier, the pressure is sky-high to maximize value. For Walter, that likely means maximizing leadership. And while Pelinka is still in the seat, his name isn’t carved into it.

Reports already have Bob Myers, Masai Ujiri, and even OKC’s Troy Weaver being watched closely. These aren’t just names. These are culture-setters, vision-carriers—guys who’ve built sustainable winners. If Walter wants the Lakers to echo his Dodgers blueprint, Pelinka’s title might be next in the Lakers Museum of Past GMs, somewhere between Mitch Kupchak and the Magic Johnson GM Speedrun Exhibit.

Still, nothing’s happening overnight. Smart owners assess first, then strike. But if you listen closely—between Dave Roberts’ glowing reviews and Walter’s ultra-competitive DNA—the writing is already on the wall. It’s just hidden behind 17 banners.

So here’s the bottom line: Rob Pelinka’s job isn’t gone, but it’s no longer his to lose—it’s now someone else’s to take.