The Los Angeles Lakers are entering a critical offseason. After missing the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season, the franchise will look to take a big step forward this summer. They aren’t sure if they will have their top-three protected draft pick of not, but free agency and trades will always be there, and the Lakers figure to be aggressive in both areas.
General manager Rob Pelinka has his work cut out for him as he attempts to bring Los Angeles back to it’s rightful place atop the NBA, but he already has a clear idea of what types of players he will be targeting, via Lakers Nation reporter Serena Winters:
Rob Pelinka says Lakers will be putting a 'very high value' on adding players w/ character + high basketball knowledge + integrity.
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) April 13, 2017
Of course, every team would love to have players with those traits, but some place more emphasis on them than others. For some teams, talent is paramount and trumps all else, while others prefer to build a positive culture, believing that it will allow players to maximize their abilities. Pelinka, apparently, believes in the latter strategy, and not just for players, but team personnel as well:
Lakers GM Rob Pelinka: "Guys that aren’t committed to excellence won’t be here, and I would say that about our own staff as well."
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) April 13, 2017
All of that is easy to say at this juncture, but we will have to wait until at least the NBA Draft in June to see if Pelinka can back up his words with actions.
The Lakers have a number of talented young players on their roster, as well as some excellent mentors, but they will all need to take some big steps this summer if the team is to contend for the playoffs next year. It’s a long offseason, but there is a lot of work to do by all parties if they hope to turn things around.