The Los Angeles Lakers are heading into another major transition, and this time the uncertainty extends beyond the ownership group. Following the franchise’s record-setting sale to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger, questions are already emerging about who will remain in charge of basketball operations.

Stephen A. Smith has already made his prediction. The ESPN analyst believes Rob Pelinka could be on his way out once the new ownership group takes control.

“I think Rob Pelinka will not be there running basketball operations for the Los Angeles Lakers. I don’t believe that will happen moving forward.”

Smith made the comments on his show while discussing what the Lakers could look like under Kushner and Iger. Importantly, he presented the prediction as his personal belief rather than information coming from someone inside the organization.

That distinction matters because neither Iger nor Kushner has announced plans to remove Pelinka. The ownership deal itself is also still subject to NBA approval. Still, the arrival of a completely new ownership group allows the Lakers to reconsider the structure of their basketball operations.

Smith already has a potential replacement in mind: Bob Myers. The former Golden State Warriors executive has a championship résumé that makes him an obvious name for a franchise looking for a major front-office reset.

Myers was part of the Warriors organization that won four championships between 2015 and 2022, building a reputation as one of the NBA’s most respected executives. Smith believes that experience would make him worth pursuing.

“If there is a way to get that man, I think you go get him,” Smith said, while stressing that he had not spoken to anyone about the possibility.

Pelinka’s tenure, meanwhile, has produced both major successes and difficult stretches. He helped bring LeBron James to Los Angeles, orchestrated the Anthony Davis trade and was part of the front office that built the 2020 championship roster. More recently, he completed the blockbuster trade that brought Luka Doncic to the Lakers.

That résumé gives Pelinka a strong case to remain. But with the Lakers changing owners for the second time in less than a year, Smith believes the new regime could decide that a different voice is needed to shape the next era.

Why Jeanie Buss is expected to remain with the Lakers

While Pelinka’s position is suddenly under scrutiny, Jeanie Buss appears to have a much clearer path forward. The new ownership group has publicly indicated that it intends to honor the agreement that allows Buss to remain as Lakers governor.

That commitment separates Buss from Pelinka during the transition. Buss is deeply tied to the franchise’s identity through her family’s decades-long association with the Lakers, making her continued presence valuable beyond basketball operations.

The ownership change is not finalized yet, with NBA approval still required. That leaves plenty of time for the incoming group to determine its organizational structure before making any major decisions.

For now, Smith’s prediction remains just that: a prediction. But with the Lakers entering another new era, Pelinka’s future is clearly one of the biggest questions surrounding the franchise.

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Written by

Nilendu Brahma

Edited by

Aadesh Dhote