Lakers News: Rob Pelinka Says LA Had 'Comfort in the Banners' During Struggles

Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka said the organization got away from innovation and took "comfort in the banners" during its extended rebuilding process.

On Tuesday, Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated provided comments from Pelinka about what longtime Lakers owner Jerry Buss, who died in 2013, would think about the current state of the franchise.

"I think there became a comfort in the banners," he said. "No one saw the progress, the pioneering of new things, which is what we used to be known for. No one was saying, 'We want to do what the Lakers are doing.' It was the opposite. It was, 'No one wants to go there anymore.'"

The Lakers own 16 NBA championships, the second most in league history—one behind the Boston Celtics for the all-time lead. The Chicago Bulls are third on the list with six titles.

Los Angeles has failed to qualify for the playoffs each of the last five seasons, though.

The previous front office regime, led by GM Mitch Kupchak, failed to surround Kobe Bryant with enough talent in the final years of his career before his 2016 retirement. Pelinka was hired in February 2017 and tasked with getting the storied franchise back on track.

The Lakers are starting to put together a promising nucleus of young talent, led by Lonzo Ball, Julius Randle, Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. They are still a couple pieces away from contending in the loaded Western Conference, though.

Pelinka is confident in the team's renewed sense of direction, however, and told Jenkins the financial resources are there when they are ready to strike in free agency.

"That's the beauty of it," he said. "Whatever the road becomes—Is it two max guys this summer? Is it one this summer and one the next? Is it splitting up the space and just growing this young core?—it's a good road to be on."

The Lakers have been linked to both LeBron James and Paul George, two superstars who can utilize player options in their contracts to become unrestricted free agents this summer. Signing both would immediately push the team into the championship conversation again.

Whether that will actually happen is unclear, but Pelinka is optimistic about L.A.'s outlook, regardless of whether this year's offseason frenzy goes the Lakers' way.