Originally compiled from: The Athletic
Written by Sam Amick
原文标题：Lakers boss Rob Pelinka is smiling a lot these days — for good reason
On Thursday, it was late at night local time, and the Lakers, who had just defeated the defending champion Warriors, were ready to leave Chase Center. Pelinka, the once-criticized Lakers general manager, doesn't seem to be paying particular attention to who will go to the General Manager of the Year award, which will be announced the next day.
Little did Pelinka know at the time, he was ranked 11th in the General Manager of the Year poll, behind Nets general manager Sean Marks. Pelinka received only one second vote and one third vote, for a total of 4 points. The winner went to Kings general manager McNair and Cavaliers manager Altman ranked No. 2.
Pelinka's eyes were fixed on the smiling Lakers after the victory, and the Lakers' playoff victory seemed impossible at the start of the season. Pelinka warmly shook hands and hugged nearly every member, many of whom he had traded before the trade deadline.
The loudest emotional exchange occurred when rookie coach Hamm rushed over, and the two hugged each other as if they had not seen each other for months. Pelinka even growled.
Those desperate days
A few months ago, if you had told any Lakers member that they could beat the Warriors on the road on May 3, they might have sent you straight to the league's drug testing department to see if you had taken drugs.
As Austin Reeves said, if the crystal ball made this prediction, he would not believe it. Then Reeves had a big smile on his face and recalled: "We started the season 2-10, Hamm wrote something on the little whiteboard, and I remember the outside world predicted that we only had a 0.3% chance of making the playoffs. We just kept working hard and felt like it was a long year. But look now, we lead the defending champions 1-0. ”
As Hamm said after the Lakers beat the Timberwolves in the playoffs on April 11, the Lakers' own data analytics department couldn't come up with a reason to prove that the Lakers had hope after a bad start, but now, they are in the Western Conference semifinals.
Medium-term trading
The Lakers' problems at the beginning of the season are far more complicated than the bad opening record. Four days after the trade deadline, the Lakers were 26-32, and they didn't reach a five-percent win rate until March 31. The Lakers went through the disastrous Wilson experiment, which proved to be a huge damage to the Lakers, but the Lakers survived, and then acquired Russell, Vanderbilt and Beasley in a three-way deal in the midterms, finally ending that ill-fated era.
The Lakers should rejoice that if they let this era continue, they will face tremendous pressure and the team could fall apart. On January 7, James publicly urged management to strengthen in an interview, saying that "all of you know what to do."
Pelinka, along with other members of management, Kurt Rambis, Joey Buss, and Jesse Bass, responded to James' urging to build a talented team that is more reminiscent of the 2020 champion Lakers. Even though James missed 13 games at the end of the season and was told he should undergo surgery, the Lakers found themselves back in the ranks of championship contenders. This mid-season turn of fortune is unforgettable, perhaps historic.
Win, now and win the future
Imagine what would happen to the Lakers if they missed the playoffs for the third time in their 5 seasons with James? It's no secret that Lakers owner Jenny Buss has a "win or lose" mentality, and attention is focused on whether the Warriors will experience the last dance, but in fact, the Lakers have a lot of stakes.
For example, the situation of Anthony Davis, he has been regarded as the future successor of the Lakers since he came to the Lakers from the Pelicans, but he struggles every year due to his healthy and inconsistent performance, which makes the whole league wait and see whether Davis will stay with the Lakers after his contract expires in 2024. But now, Davis' and Lakers' playoff performances have quelled those noises and re-established Davis' place in the Lakers' future plans.
Davis was inconsistent offensively in the first round, but his defensive presence played a big role. Russell and Hachimura, who joined in the mid-term trade, were the Lakers' top four scorers in the first round, and Vanderbilt limited Morant.
By the way, the Lakers also have to thank Dillon Brooks for the extra motivation they provided, and the Lakers treat Brooks' provocative remarks as personal grudges, and they want to help James avenge it. Reeves joked about Dillon: "I think it's really ridiculous for Dillon to say those things to a guy who aims to win and is probably the greatest player of all time, like a fool." ”
In the series G1 between the Lakers and Warriors, Davis slashed 30 points, 23 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 blocks, and he set the tone for the series. Perhaps his health has always been a concern, but when he plays like this, the Lakers' outlook is clearer.
From James's perspective, he has long made it clear that he wants to continue to compete for the championship before retiring, and his contract, like Davis, expires in 2024. James also shared his plan to achieve father-son status with his son Brownie. At this moment, the Lakers are alive, which is a huge stress relief for everyone.
It's no wonder that Pelinka has a low approval rating in the Best Manager selection, but he still seems happy.