Thursday presser: gratitude for LeBron, thesis for Luka
At UCLA Health Training Center on Thursday, Sept. 24, Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka and coach JJ Redick held their annual pre-camp media availability—days before player Media Day (Mon., Sept. 28) and training camp (Tue., Sept. 29). The session opened with a moment of silence for longtime PA announcer Lawrence Tanter, then Pelinka’s on-record thanks for the LeBron James era before pivoting to the Luka Dončić chapter.
Pelinka framed a three-pillar offseason thesis the front office says it hit: (1) re-sign Austin Reaves (LA Times: four years, $180M—largest undrafted deal in NBA history per that report); (2) acquire a franchise center via the Walker Kessler Jazz sign-and-trade (two unprotected firsts + two first-round swaps; then a four-year, ~$130M deal); (3) add younger “dribble-pass-shoot” depth—Quentin Grimes, Jaden Hardy, Collin Sexton, Matisse Thybulle, Ziaire Williams, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Kevon Looney—pulling average roster age toward ~26–27. He called Dončić a partner/co-creator in the build and “the world’s greatest offensive player.”
Redick: “I think with this group, probably for the first time in my three years here, I feel like the pieces actually fit together.” He also stressed this is not a one-summer full rebuild and that “no one is a championship-level team on September 29.”
LA Times (Turner) · NBC Sports (Helin) · SI / OnSI (Ward) · Silver Screen & Roll (Rude) · USA TODAY (Williams)
Kessler: “fully healthy, fully cleared”
Pelinka said the club did a deep medical dive with specialists (including surgeon Dr. Neil ElAttrache / “Neil Eltrage” in some transcripts) and that they had “ultra confidence” the shoulder repair was a one-time fix, not a lingering issue. Quote (multiple outlets): Kessler is “fully healthy, fully cleared” and they look forward to him playing a lot of games. Context: Kessler played only five games last season before season-ending left-shoulder (labrum) surgery. This is Pelinka’s medical confidence statement—not game minutes proven yet.
Redick called Kessler a “perfect fit” for Dončić and Reaves as a rim-protecting, rebounding anchor after years of necessity switching. Pelinka defended the price on scarcity grounds: 25-year-old two-way centers that fit two max creators “just don’t exist.”
Fadeaway World (Martinez) · NBC Sports fantasy note · SI / OnSI
Starters: three penciled; two open; deeper rotation planned
Redick said he is “pretty confident” in three starting spots—Dončić, Reaves, Kessler—with the other two up for grabs. He joked the remaining spots “will not be two white guys” (USA TODAY / NBC). He expects a competitive camp, more wing minutes (“six or seven wings that have an opportunity to play”), and a deeper rotation if healthy. USA TODAY’s James H. Williams expects Grimes at the three with Jake LaRavia / Mamukelashvili competing at the four—that is reporter projection, not a Redick starting announcement.
Pelinka: the club has until opening night to settle the best 15, and consolidation trades (two-out, one-in) remain on the table. Regular-season opener still framed Oct. 21 vs Golden State.
USA TODAY · NBC Sports · Silver Screen & Roll
Ownership: intro meetings “excellent”; still no BOG vote
On the pending Mark Walter → Joshua Kushner / Bob Iger sale at a reported $12.5B valuation, Pelinka broke silence carefully: introductory meetings “have been excellent” and preliminary discussions “really, really positive,” but “with a pending transaction, we’re not at liberty to talk more… under league rules.” Day-to-day ops unchanged—“operating with Lakers excellence.” He also noted a robust front-office build (AGMs Eric Amsler, Rohan Ramadas, 15-plus hires) with support from Jeanie Buss and ownership; on Dodgers advisory roles (Andrew Friedman et al.) he stayed limited in the “interim period.”
No overnight Board of Governors approval reported. Jeanie remains governor pending the Dec. 8 LA Superior Court hearing on the Buss family-stake fight. Sale is agreed between parties but not league-approved—treat as pending.
NY Post (Price) · LA Times (Turner)
Watch next
- Player Media Day Mon., Sept. 28 ~11 a.m. PT (Spectrum SportsNet live) · camp Sept. 29.
- Who wins the two open starter spots; cut / consolidation-trade clock through opening night.
- Kessler’s first camp reps after the clearance claim.
- How the franchise marks Tanter (patch suggestion from Mychal Thompson still not a club announcement).
- Kushner/Iger: next BOG window; Dec. 8 Buss stake hearing.
- Preseason opener Oct. 5 at Sacramento · regular-season opener framed Oct. 21 vs Golden State.