A question was asked for Rob Pelinka and JJ Redick Thursday during the Los Angeles Lakers media day, an investigation that said the calm part aloud.
The journalist asked if Pelinka and Redick had had conversations with LeBron James, in the words of the journalist: “The transition we see takes place of this kind of Lebron team to Luka’s team (Dončić).”
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Pelinka, president of Lakers basketball operations and managing director, turned to Redick, his Newly extensive head coachAnd Redick intensified to answer the question that arrived at around 16 minutes after the press conference.
“I spoke in LeBron quite frequently and I had two major meetings in person with him,” said Redick.
“First, he finally went out to the Hamptons, so he and I had dinner at Sag Harbor just in the free agency, then I was able to spend time with him here in Los Angeles a few weeks ago. And I came out of this thought that he is mentally in a great place, and I know he will give us his best absolute.”
Redick and James co-organized the “Watch out for the game“Podcast before Redick was hired as head coach last June. During their first year together on the Lakers – Redick Coaching at 40, and James playing at 40 – Los Angeles went 50-32 and obtained the seeded n ° 3 at the West Conference before falling into five games at the Timberwolves du Minnesota during the first round of the eliminatory series.
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In early February, the Lakers succeeded One of the most surprising professions in the history of sportAcquire Dončić of Dallas Mavericks. Then, in August, the Lakers sign Dončić, 26, to a maximum extension of $ 165 million over three years.
In the meantime, According to an ESPN report on July 11Lakers I did not offer James an extension or give it a warning on the Sale of the Bus family franchise in Mark WalterWhile Dončić would have been informed of the transaction.
Although James picked up Its $ 52.6 million player option In June, the future of the quadruple MVP of the NBA with the Lakers remained a burning subject this offseason.
Pelinka was questioned earlier in Thursday’s press conference how James being in a contractual year affects the Lakers team consolidation process.
“The first thing we want to do in terms of LeBron and his future is to give him absolute respect to choose his story with his family in terms of how many years he will continue to play,” said Pelinka.
“He deserved this well, and he is the best to talk about it in terms of how many years he would like to play. But we were very intentional this summer in terms of pieces that we added with Luka and LeBron – once LeBron opted – assuring us that they had the necessary pieces around them to be in a very competitive and strong team. And we built and for that.”
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A follow-up question was led by Pelinka, asking for the GM feelings about the possibility that James wanted to play for the Lakers beyond the 2025-26 campaign.
“We would like LeBron’s story would be to retire as a laker,” said Pelinka, Double his comments of August 2.
“It would be a positive story.”
