Lakers Raise Eyebrows With Front Office Contract Extension

In what many fans and followers would call a shocking development, the Los Angeles Lakers have signed vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka to a 4-year extension.

BREAKING: Rob Pelinka and Lakers agree to a contract extension, via @ChrisBHaynes pic.twitter.com/6tnWxvnG13
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) October 8, 2022

The extension takes Pelinka—the oft-maligned Lakers exec—through to 2026 with the team, coinciding with the contract of head coach Darvin Ham. Jeannie Buss and the Lakers' ownership group, as noted by Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, "believes deeply in management and the coach being in alignment on one vision."

The 52-year-old Pelinka became the Lakers' GM in 2017, and was promoted to VP of basketball operations in 2020.

And while Pelinka did put together the team that won the 2020 championship in the 'Bubble', he also made what many consider to be the "worst trade in franchise history", dealing all of the team's depth pieces for Russell Westbrook before last season, which was a colossal failure.

There had even been speculation that Pelinka's job would be in jeopardy if the Lakers flopped again this season.

Lakers fans are beside themselves upon hearing the news of the 4-year extension.

Pelinka was promoted without earning it, stumbled drunkenly into a championship, tore it down (thus proving it was an accident), made the worst trade in franchise history, hasn't fixed that mistake, and now gets an extension. Unserious organization. Period.
— Anthony F. Irwin (@AnthonyIrwinLA) October 8, 2022

Breaking: there’s been a 9.0 magnitude earthquake in Los Angeles caused by the collective shrieking of Laker fans
— Z 👑 (@TheRealZach3) October 8, 2022