Rumors

Tas Melas: NBA front office executives or coaches I’ve seen at #EuroBasket: Bucks: Jon Horst, Doc Rivers, Darvin Ham. Lakers: Rob Pelinka, Jeanie Buss, Kurt Rambis. Trail Blazers: Chauncey Billups. Kings: BJ Armstrong, Doug Christie. Nuggets: Josh Kroenke.

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To be honest I didn’t have the right answer at the time, at least until the game started and the national anthems were played. And while singing our national anthem Zdravljica among some 600 fellow Slovenians and later listening to more than 9,000 Poles do the same, I remembered. It’s hard to explain, but watching your national team battle, even when the chances are not great, is what still gives me the chills — no matter the place and no matter the competition. It’s hard to illustrate or explain this feeling if you’ve never been to such a game. It certainly felt like the experience made a powerful impression on Rob Pelinka, who was sitting courtside alongside Jeanie Buss, Kurt and Linda Rambis, there to show public support and appreciation for Dončić playing for Slovenia.

Diggin' Basketball

Lakers governor Jeanie Buss and president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka attended Luka Dončić and the Slovenian national team’s final practice before his EuroBasket tournament begins on Thursday in Poland, showing the organization’s full support for Dončić’s participation. Despite Dončić’s knee-injury scare in Slovenia’s warm-up schedule, Pelinka said he and Buss have no concerns about his continued participation with his national team now and in the future. “Zero problems,” Pelinka said. “I mean, it’s just something that we believe in for the Lakers organization.”

New York Times

What they witnessed was a noticeably slimmer Luka, who has been following a new diet and conditioning program. "He's in great shape, really committed to working hard this summer," Pelinka told reporters. "And to be able to watch that in person was worth flying over the ocean to be with him."

BasketNews

Buss and Pelinka were part of a contingent of Lakers staff that included Kurt and Linda Rambis and director of player performance and health Dr. Leroy Sims, who made the flight from Los Angeles to Poland earlier this week to watch Dončić and the Slovenian national team open play against Poland on Thursday night in Katowice. “We just wanted to make a statement to Luka that we support what he does for his country. That’s really important to the Lakers when we have a player that’s the face of our franchise, just to show that support for him,” Pelinka said. “And it’s just great to see him with his teammates, interacting, having fun. As you said, he is in great shape, really committed to working hard this summer, and to be able to watch that in person was worth flying over the ocean to come be with him.”

New York Times

“We want to let him focus and dedicate to this tournament, EuroBasket, and not distract him in any way,” Pelinka said. “We want him to a hundred percent be able to play for his country with pride, and he’ll turn his attention to the Lakers as soon as this tournament ends, hopefully with them going far and maybe winning.”

New York Times

LA Lakers officials also came to Poland to show Luka their support, including GM Rob Pelinka and controlling owner and president Jeanie Buss. “Means a lot, it’s a long flight, like 11–12 hours, means a lot for them to be here to support me. We had a great lunch today, it was great to see them,” Dončić concluded.

EuroHoops.net

Dan Woike: Jeanie Buss and Rob Pelinka at Slovenia’s final practice before their opener tomorrow here in Poland.

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Today’s scene in Katowice says it all. On the day of his so-called introductory press conference, and one day before his first game, Dončić in Poland welcomed the highest-level visitors from the City of Angels, who will of course also attend the matchup against the host national team, and perhaps also the sold-out clash with France (the only game of the tournament without the hosts). While on a work stroll through the city, we noticed luxury vehicles picking up a notable group—clearly headed to a special lunch. Joining Dončić and St. Jean was Luka’s agent, and together they welcomed the arrivals from Los Angeles—most notably the Lakers’ famous general manager, Kobe Bryant’s close confidant, Rob Pelinka. He wasn’t alone; a few more Lakers representatives came with him to Poland. All of this is the clearest sign of what Luka means, and what it means to the Lakers that he values Slovenia, playing for Slovenia, and bringing joy to fans at a tournament like this one, which kicks off today and will continue tomorrow at the Spodek Arena in Katowice with Slovenia’s Group D games.

Svet24

The group arrived in Katowice on a private jet from Los Angeles, which brought them directly to the venue of Slovenia’s games. The Bombardier Global Express, operated by the private carrier VistaJet, ensured maximum comfort, as it is among the most prestigious options for transoceanic travel.

Svet24

Still, the feeling around the Lakers is that the team is pretty much set as it is, and that no major trades are forthcoming until the season gets rolling. The Lakers have had opportunities to include the likes of Gabe Vincent and Jarred Vanderbilt in trade packages already, but have declined to do so. ‘They have not been attacking the trade market by any stretch of the imagination,” one Western Conference executive said. “Most teams now are in a sort-of wait-and-see mode, and I would include the Lakers in that. They want to give it some time before they make a trade.”

athlonsports.com

Dave McMenamin of ESPN reported during an appearance on “Hoops Talk with Allen Sliwa” that Pelinka will likely remain GM for as long as Jeanie Buss is in charge of the Lakers as their acting governor. “So long as Jeanie’s in place, we also know that means that Rob Pelinka will be in place,” said McMenamin. “Because Jeanie’s the one who has elevated him every step of the way … I don’t anticipate, certainly not in the short-term, the way the Lakers operate changing dramatically whatsoever.”

Larry Brown Sports

Michael Scotto: Lakers President Rob Pelinka on LeBron James retiring as a Laker: “All the interactions we've had with LeBron and his camp, Rich Paul in particular, have been very positive and supportive. If he had the chance to retire as a Laker, that would be great.”

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Rachel Nichols: Rob Pelinka at the press conference to announce the Luka deal: "Six months ago to the day, the Los Angeles Lakers chose Luka Doncic through a trade. Today, Luka Doncic chose the Los Angeles Lakers, and that is a monumental moment in Lakers history."

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