Rob Pelinka: Lakers would ‘love to have LeBron James’ back, Austin Reaves wants to return; Luka Dončić will have roster input

With their season over, the Los Angeles Lakers are facing an abundance of significant offseason questions, most notably around the futures of LeBron James and Austin Reaves.

General manager Rob Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick addressed those topics with media Tuesday, a day after their Game 4 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Advertisement

Per Pelinka, the Lakers want both players back. And they’ll make any roster decisions with building around Luka Dončić in mind.

“The archetype of the roster that we want is going to be retrofitted around Luka and the things he needs,” Pelinka said. “Clearly he’s that leader and player for the future that we want to build the right way around.”

Roster building with Luka a ‘collaborative process’

Dončić’s return isn’t a question. He’s starting the first year of a three-year, $160.4 million contract next season. And whatever the Lakers do with the roster in the offseason, Dončić will have a say.

Advertisement

“That’s an ongoing collaborative process,” Pelinka said of working with Dončić. “It’s not, hey, I want x, y and z. We’re in constant communication with him and his team. …

“We’re gonna get together, I think on Friday or Saturday. Ongoing dialogue. He’s an incredible partner. His basketball IQ on the court is something we get to see. … JJ and I get to see his basketball knowledge in terms of other players in the league and the way he wants to play and who he wants to play with.”

Will the Lakers run it back with their core next season?

(Gina Ferazzi via Getty Images)

Pelinka made sure to clarify that he’s not handing the front office keys to Dončić.

“He also does it in a way where he wants to do his job great and he wants to let JJ do his job great and let me do my job great,” Pelinka continued.

Advertisement

As for who Dončić plays with next season, Pelinka said he’d like for James and Reaves to join him after the trio led the Lakers to the No. 4 seed in the West this season.

Lakers ‘would love to have LeBron James’ back

James, 41, said after Monday’s loss that he doesn’t know about his basketball future and that…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/rob-pelinka-lakers-would-love-to-have-lebron-james-back-austin-reaves-wants-to-return-luka-doncic-will-have-roster-input-190901093.html

Author : Jason Owens

Publish date : 2026-05-12 19:09:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.