Rob Pelinka explains the "era" of Luka Doncic at the Los Angeles Lakers

Los Angeles Lakers have officially entered a new era. With LeBron James concluding his eight seasons in Los Angeles to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers, the franchise has decided to hand the keys of the project to Luka Doncic. General manager Rob Pelinka believes that the moves made this summer have met the three major priorities set by the organization.

Pelinka explained that the Lakers wanted, first and foremost, to re-sign Austin Reaves. The second goal was to find a franchise center who could become the new interior anchor of the team. The third consisted of surrounding Doncic and Reaves with younger players capable of fitting into the style of play that JJ Redick wants to develop.

"We wanted to retain Austin Reaves. We wanted to find a way to acquire a franchise center. And then we wanted to build a roster of players who dribble, pass, and shoot, approved by JJ Redick, who were younger to add depth to our lineup," Pelinka explained.

The most significant bet was Walker Kessler. The Lakers acquired the 7'2" center through a sign-and-trade with the Utah Jazz and subsequently offered him a four-year, $130 million contract. Additionally, Los Angeles gave up two unprotected first-round picks and two first-round pick swaps to secure him.

This operation has left the Lakers without absolute control over their first-round draft pick until 2032, but Pelinka believes the cost was justified due to the scarcity of players with Kessler's attributes and his fit with Doncic and Reaves.

"Twenty-five-year-old two-way centers who fit perfectly with our two franchise players, Luka and Austin, do not exist," Pelinka said. "There is a shortage of supply. When the opportunity arises and you have a superstar like Luka on your roster, you have to seize it."

Kessler played only five games last season after undergoing surgery on his left shoulder, but the Lakers have decided to make him one of the central pieces of their new project. Pelinka believes his profile was particularly hard to find both in the draft and in free agency.

Reaves remains a key piece

The other major decision was to retain Austin Reaves. The shooting guard will continue alongside Doncic after signing a four-year, $184.7 million extension, making him one of the cornerstones of the Lakers’ new core.

From there, the franchise used free agency to complete the group with Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Collin Sexton. Grimes signed for four years and $60 million, Mamukelashvili for four years and $52 million, and Sexton for two years and $19 million.

JJ Redick defended the cost of these moves by appealing to the functioning of the market itself. "The market is the market. The market for some players is multi-year contracts. The market for others is short-term contracts. If you want to get a player, you have to pay the market," he pointed out.

The result is a radically different roster from last season. In addition to LeBron James, the Lakers bid farewell to Rui Hachimura, Marcus Smart, Deandre Ayton, Luke Kennard, and Jaxson Hayes.

Redick still has two spots in his starting lineup to decide, a testament to how much the team has changed over this summer.

A much younger team

One of Pelinka's main goals was to modify the team's age. The Lakers were the fifth oldest team in the NBA last season, and now they have decided to restart their competitive calendar around Doncic, who is 27 years old.

Reaves is 28, while Kessler, Grimes, Mamukelashvili, and Sexton are 27 years old or younger. The only player on the roster aged 30 or older is Kevon Looney.

The shift also involves moving from a project built around a 41-year-old player like LeBron to one led by Doncic, accompanied by a much younger core.

Pelinka expressed confidence that the result will be a team that fans can be proud of. "It's a group of young players with incredible character, who already care for one another and play the right way," he stated.

The Lakers have also tried to accelerate the connection between their new players. The team held a minicamp in Las Vegas and then traveled to Slovenia, Doncic's home country, as part of their efforts to build chemistry before the season starts.

Redick believes this connection could become a decisive element. "One thing I’ve seen over the last six or seven years in the NBA is that the best teams are the most connected teams," he explained. "I really think this group will be connected from day one, and it already is."

The Lakers enter this new phase after winning 53 games and reaching the Western Conference semifinals last season. Now they are seeking their seventh playoff appearance in the last eight seasons, but they will do so with a completely different backdrop: LeBron James is no longer there, and Luka Doncic has officially become the focal point of a project designed for the coming years.

If you want, I can also turn it into a more aggressive and sensational version for Discover, with a headline in the style of Blogdebasket and more focus on the $130 million for Kessler and the enormous cost in picks.

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