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Jeanie Buss: I mean, in order to trade somebody like Anthony Davis, it would have to be with approval. Not only that, but a first round draft pick and certainly getting a player of Luka's caliber and being at the beginning end of his career was just an extraordinary opportunity, but it required a lot of strategy and a lot of small steps in order to pull it off. and Rob Pelinka, our general manager, was able to do that all without leaking to the media because I think Mark Cuban might have jumped in front of a train to keep it from happening.
NBA Courtside: Jeanie Buss on how the Luka Doncic trade went down: “Dallas wanted Anthony Davis and he was on our team. Conversations started but it was important they remained private…. Those conversations started in the beginning of January… Rob Pelinka was able to pull it off all without it leaking to the media because I think Mark Cuban would’ve jumped in front of a train to keep it from happening. Nobody knew including Luka, Anthony Davis, and LeBron James. We had a game in New York that night, the coach knew this was going to happen but he still had to coach the game. It wasn’t a distraction” (Via https://youtu.be/gHPMuGZe3IE?si=gMgVyp6VAiYhwCrL…)
The Los Angeles Lakers are considering multiple front office staff additions looking ahead to next season, including at least one assistant general manager and another potential high-ranking role, league sources told HoopsHype.
Jeanie Buss: Those conversations started the beginning of January, right? I'll never forget that's when all of Los Angeles was on fire. In order to trade somebody like Anthony Davis, it would have to be with [my] approval and… certainly getting a player of Luka's caliber and him being at the beginning end of his career was just an extraordinary opportunity. But it required a lot of strategy and a lot of small steps in order to pull it off. And Rob Pelinka... was able to do that all with it out leaking to the media, because I think Mark Cuban might have jumped in front of a train to keep it from happening. Nobody knew, including Luka. And Anthony Davis. And we had a game in New York that night. And so the coach knew that this was gonna happen, but he still had to play the game. And we won the game that night... Then all the world turned upside down.
NBA Communications: The voting panel for the 2025-26 NBA Basketball Executive of the Year Award consisted of basketball executives from NBA teams. Complete voting results ⬇️
The voting panel for the 2025-26 NBA Basketball Executive of the Year Award consisted of basketball executives from NBA teams.
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) April 28, 2026
Complete voting results ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/uPIrI0Uzvn
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Luka Doncic: I am grateful to the NBPA for advocating on my behalf and to the NBA for their fair decision. It was so important to me to be present for the birth of my daughter in December and I appreciate Mark, Jeanie, Rob, JJ, and the entire Lakers organization for fully supporting me and allowing me to travel to be there. This season has been so special to me because of what my teammates and I have been able to accomplish, and I am honored to have the opportunity to be considered for the league’s end-of-season awards.
Anthony Davis: So when Rich said I was traded to Dallas, I was like the f*ck out of here. I saidwho the f*ck they gonna trade me for? Luka Doncic? I was just saying like who else can you trade me for on that team? Mind you, the Mavs just went to the finals. And it was never no discussion about like man, we might get AD out of here or… it was nothing. And he was like, “They traded you for Luka.” I'm like "Rich, shut the hell up. What? Like, shut what do you want?" I'm really thinking he's just playing. And he was like, "Man, I swear." And at the time, like, Nico Harrison is calling me. So, I'm like, "All right, Rich, I'mma call you back. Let me see what Nico… And I'm like, "Rich, I'mma call you back." Hello. Yeah, ‘I told you I was going to come get you one day. I wanted you.’ Huh? I'm still like, "All right, I know Rich and Nico like, y'all playing a joke." Like, this is foul play. Foul play. Got you. So, I'm like, "Huh?" So, I tell Nico, I didn't even speak. I said, "Yo, let me call you back." So now I'm like, "All right, I'm about to call Rob Pelinka back." So I call Rob back and I'm like, "Hello." He’s telling me all this stuff and like, basically, that I got traded for Luka, and some of the stuff he was saying, I didn't understand. ‘You know, when Bron's done, we want somebody to take over, we want to go younger, rebuild all this…’ And I'm like, "Huh?" I just didn't understand like what he was saying. But also too, like as I'm hearing this, I'm now like checked out. Like I hear you, but I'm not listening, right? And hang up. And my chef is right there in front of me. And I'm like, I just got traded to the Mavs. He starts laughing. ‘Yeah, big dog.’ So I'm like, you know what? I know this true. I go to X and go straight to Sham Charania’s page. Nothing, yeah they playing. So I'm walking out the kitchen, turning the corner to go up the stairs. Joel Embiid calls me. He’s in Philly, 12 o’clock. I don't answer, I’m going upstairs, then somebody else calls me, another player and I'm like wait hold on. So, I go back to Sham’s page and then there it is. Breaking news: Dallas Mavericks trade Luka Doncic. And I'm like, what? Run upstairs, say baby, I just got traded to Dallas. Shut up. But now this time I'm not shaking, but my heart is in my stomach. I'm like, yo, what the f*ck just happened? Right. And I show her and she's like, "What the hell?" But now I'm like, "All right, I'm running back outside. The first person I call my pop like, "Yo, pop, I just got traded."
NBA Courtside: Mark Cuban on almost trading for Kobe Bryant: “It was 2007, Kobe was ready to get out. And I was on Dancing with the Stars. Google me. I didn’t win. There was a dude named Elvis who was a production assistant, right? And he was just Kobe love everything. I’m between breaks, I’d be like, Elvis, I need a quiet spot. And I would talk to Rob Pelinka, his agent at the time, and he’s like, “Okay, if you can get Dr. Buss to approve. And I talk to Dr. Buss and he was ready to do it. And it was like two first, Josh Howard and Jason Terry for Kobe. And I thought, “Okay, this is done. And I told Elvis, “This is done.” And I went to practice on my jive or whatever. And then we got a call from Rob that Mitch Kupchak, right? Had talked Kobe out of it. That close. And I was telling Dirk the whole time. He goes, “You can trade me. I would trade me for Kobe, too. And I’m like no Dirk the whole point is y’all two.” (Via @club520podcast)
Mark Cuban on almost trading for Kobe Bryant:
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) April 6, 2026
“It was 2007, Kobe was ready to get out. And I was on Dancing with the Stars. Google me. I didn’t win. There was a dude named Elvis who was a production assistant, right? And he was just Kobe love everything. I’m between breaks, I’d… pic.twitter.com/Q85PrbrHWx
The plan, according to Pelinka and sources, is for the Lakers to expand its front office around the president of basketball operations by reforming its college scouting staff, building a modern pro scouting department and adding to its existing analytics department. The goal is to mirror the Los Angeles Dodgers’ successful front office, which has mastered player identification and development, in addition to working with a seemingly unlimited payroll.
Michael Scotto: The Los Angeles Lakers have named Tony Bennett as NBA Draft advisor to President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka. Bennett, a three-time national coach of the year recipient (2007, 2015, 2018), was the University of Virginia’s head coach from 2009-2024.
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The Lakers have announced the hiring of former Virginia men's basketball coach Tony Bennett as an NBA Draft advisor to president of basketball operations/GM Rob Pelinka. pic.twitter.com/nmZyJAR2lz
— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) February 25, 2026
Benjamin Royer: Lakers GM/PoBo Rob Pelinka on why the Lakers hired Tony Bennett as an NBA Draft Advisor: “As we refine and build out our NBA draft and scouting processes, we could think of no better basketball mind than Tony Bennett to have as a resource,” Pelinka said. “Tony’s track record of forming culture, with high-character, high-skill and high-IQ players is revered and respected across all basketball circles. Tony will be an incredible asset to our basketball leadership, to our scouts and to our draft department as a whole.”
Dan Woike: In a conversation with reporters, new Lakers president of business operations Lon Rosen says the plan is for Rob Pelinka, with input from Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi, will continue to handle basketball operations. Pelinka told reporters the plan is to have an expanded front office this summer.