The Los Angeles Lakers have struggled to get back to championship form after winning it all in 2020. Now, a prominent member of that roster has broken his silence with a stern message to General Manager Rob Pelinka.
Former Laker Blasts Rob Pelinka for Breaking Up Title Team
Scathing Comments From Former Big Man
The comments in question come from ex-Laker Dwight Howard on a recent episode of his podcast “DH12 Above the Rim.”
Dwight Howard disses Rob Pelinka for splitting up the Lakers’ 2020 championship team 😳
“Rob Pelinka, man. God, Rob, why did you do that to us, man?… We could’ve run it back. We would’ve been healthier for the next year.”
(via @DH12abovetherim)pic.twitter.com/k3GFDEVOPu
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 26, 2024
“After we won, they started tweaking the roster. I’mma tell you who it was—Rob Pelinka, man. God, Rob, why did you do that to us, man? Rob, come on, man. I still love you, Rob, but dang, man. We had the squad, bro. Even if we ran it back, we could have run it back. We would have been healthier for the next year.”
Howard’s remarks line up with what many fans were thinking: the Lakers should not have split up the 2020 team, even with the injuries that led to their first-round exit the following season.
2019-20 marked Howard’s second stint with the purple and gold, and he played his role to a tee. In 69 regular season games, he averaged 7.5 points (58% FG), 7.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game. He also proved pivotal in LA’s title run, matching up against Nuggets star Nikola Jokic in the Western Conference Finals. During the road to his long-awaited first ring, the 34-year-old Howard put up 5.8 points and 4.6 rebounds while shooting 68% from the field. His presence alongside Anthony Davis and LeBron James gave the Lakers a formidable veteran frontcourt, a crucial aspect to the team’s 17th championship. The 2020 Lakers had the perfect blend of chemistry and talent to win it all, but have struggled to replicate it since then.
Lakers Track Record Proves Howard’s Point
While many teams have taken steps forward following recent championship wins, the Lakers have set an example of what not to do after reaching the pinnacle. From sacrificing depth for Russell Westbrook and losing Alex Caruso in free agency to retooling the roster towards a Western Conference Finals run, the Lakers have seen almost everything in the years since 2020.
The Westbrook trade paralyzed the Lakers into making big moves since then, as seen with the unsuccessful attempts to land Klay Thompson, DeMar DeRozan and even Jerami Grant this summer. The team has clearly learned their lesson of retaining core players—and they’ve even taken steps to improve player health—but it comes at the cost of staying stagnant while competitors improve before their eyes.
The team is entering an unknown yet exciting era under first-year (and first-time) head coach JJ Redick, one that seeks to build on the talents from last season while maximizing certain players in new, innovative ways. It’s clear that he and Pelinka are embracing the idea of continuity, open to working with what they have as opposed to getting what they want. That type of mentality could have saved the Lakers in 2021, but it didn’t, leading them to pay the price, recoup through trades and prove Howard was right after all this time.
Could Rob Pelinka be on the Hot Seat?
Even after the rollercoaster since 2020—and no matter how many fans want it—Rob Pelinka is not getting fired. The purple and gold’s leading man is under contract until the 2025-26 season. His ties to the Laker family coupled with his commitment to the organization seem to outweigh any mistakes he’s made in his tenure so far. Instead, the last few years appear to be a key learning experience for Pelinka and the rest of the Lakers executives. Pelinka remains steadfast as he leads LA through a new chapter. If there’s any indication that his job is in jeopardy, that story only sits in the drafts of Laker history.
