Times are changing for the Los Angeles Lakers, and they’re changing fast after the team was sold by Mark Walter to former Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger and venture capitalist Josh Kushner.
With so much happening so fast for the organization, television personalities have offered strong opinions. None stronger than Stephen A. Smith, who believes that Lakers president of basketball operations, Rob Pelinka, may be out the door.
“I think Rob Pelinka will not be there, running basketball operations for the Los Angeles Lakers,” Smith said on “The Stephen A. Smith Show.”
Smith went on to say he believes the team will have minority owner Jeanie Buss more involved in the team’s operations, and that they will go and try to bring in President of Sports for Harris Blitzer Sports Entertainment and former two-time NBA executive of the year, Bob Myers.
Iger himself, in an exclusive with the Post on Wednesday, confirmed the new ownership group intends on keeping Buss in her role. However, no such accommodation was announced for Pelinka.
WIth regard to Myers, it’s a little tricky. In his role as president, Myers oversees operations for the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey Devils.
“I mean, Bob Myers gets on the scene and in a month, he had Jaylen Brown and LeBron James,” Smith said. “…If there is a way to get that man, I think you go get him. This is my belief; I haven’t spoken to anybody about it.”
As Smith said, it’s his “belief” the Lakers will part ways with Pelinka and look to hire Myers. But usually, when new ownership comes, the entire organization becomes revamped.
During Walter’s brief stint as owner, Pelinka’s name was secured from being etched out of the franchise as the team was planning to keep him in his current role.
Pelinka has been in the Lakers’ front office since March 2017, when he was hired as the team’s general manager, and later promoted to his current role in April, 2025.
During his tenure in the Lakers’ front office, Pelinka signed James as a free agent and traded for Anthony Davis in 2019. In February 2025, Davis was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Luka Doncic.
Under his guidance, the Lakers have won an NBA title once (2020), and have been perennial regulars in the playoffs.
Yet, Myers is considered one of the top front office names in basketball. He was the architect behind the creation of the Golden Warriors’ dominance for the last 12 years.
In 2011, Myers joined the Warriors front office, and later became the team’s general manager in 2012, helping them win 4 NBA titles from 2015-2022.
In 2023, Myers elected to step down as general manager, when he famously told the media, “It’s just time.”
In 2024, Myers served as an advisor, with the NFL team, the Washington Commanders, helping them restructure their front-office leadership. Last year, Myers was part of the search committee that helped UCLA Football hire head coach Bob Chesney.
