Lakers extend GM Rob Pelinka, name him president of basketball ops

General manager Rob Pelinka has received a contract extension from the Los Angeles Lakers less than three months after he acquired Luka Doncic.

Owner Jeanie Buss also announced Friday that Pelinka received a promotion in his second title, moving from vice president of basketball operations to president of basketball operations.

The Lakers announced no details of the extension for Pelinka, the longtime player agent who joined the Lakers’ front office in February 2017.

Pelinka has notably swung two blockbuster trades in the past six years. He acquired Anthony Davis from New Orleans in 2019, and he traded Davis in a package for Doncic last February.

The seismic deal for Doncic is widely perceived as a major victory for Pelinka and the Lakers, who managed the nearly impossible feat of acquiring a young superstar at the start of his prime. Pelinka’s hiring of rookie head coach JJ Redick last summer has also been praised, with Redick showing an acumen for the job while leading the Lakers to 50 victories and the Pacific Division title this season.

[Related: Mavs GM has ‘no regrets’ about trading Luka Doncic to Lakers]

The Lakers won the 2020 championship in the Florida bubble two years after LeBron James chose the team as his next destination, and they reached the 2023 Western Conference finals. They’re back in the playoffs this season as the No. 3 seed, opening the first round against Minnesota on Saturday.

“For eight seasons, I have relied on Rob’s vision and leadership to do what’s best for the Lakers organization,” Buss said in a statement. “I value his partnership and professionalism and believe in his ability to deliver championship-caliber basketball for Los Angeles and Lakers fans everywhere.”

When he first joined the Lakers’ front office, Pelinka was the general manager reporting to Magic Johnson, who abruptly quit his job in 2019 and criticized Pelinka on the way out. Pelinka, who formed a tight bond with Buss while he represented Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant, was named the Lakers’ vice president of basketball operations in 2020.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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