Pelinka faces the risk of being fired! The Lakers' performance with AD and LeBron has fallen short of expectations: the team is not far from the play-in zone.

By February 10th Beijing time, the Lakers have secured three straight victories, currently standing at 32 wins and 19 losses, ranking fifth in the West. Despite this, their lead over the seventh-place Suns is merely two games, placing them only two wins clear of the play-in zone. Pelinka, as GM, faces the danger of losing his job.

According to the American media outlet Heavy, an NBA insider revealed:“Unless the Lakers suddenly surge in the second half and perform well in the playoffs, Pelinka’s position is precarious and it will be difficult for him to remain. With LeBron and Doncic on the roster, having to play in the play-in this year leaves no excuses. Does Pelinka still have credibility in the league? Does he have a clear blueprint for building the team? That is the real issue.”

Pelinka helped the Lakers win the championship in the 2020 bubble, but since then, there have been few standout achievements. He did complete the trade for Doncic, but that deal seemed more like the Mavericks offering it willingly. Many in the league speculate that if new owner Walter is determined to rebuild the Lakers’ front office, a change in the GM position might be part of the plan.

Lakers reporter Woj previously reported that Walter intends to bring new talent into the Lakers’ management during the offseason. “This summer will be an opportunity; the Lakers have ample salary cap space to start building the modern management structure needed and aim for early results. League sources say this includes major hires across several front office positions, as the Lakers plan to emulate the Los Angeles Dodgers’ model after their World Series success, rebuilding the management system.”

Pelinka recently addressed this topic in an interview: “After Walter acquired the team, Jeanie and I had in-depth discussions with him about his vision for the team’s development, upgrades, and focus. Once again, the Dodgers’ team-building model is an excellent example and our benchmark. We are still finalizing the offseason structure and which personnel to bring in. But positive changes will definitely happen; the team’s structure will be further improved, still led by Jeanie and me, with Walter providing support.”

The American media noted that if the Lakers perform poorly this season, it is uncertain whether the new owner will continue to back Pelinka.