Lakers sign Pelinka to extension, add to his title

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed Rob Pelinka to a multiyear contract extension and added to his title by naming him president of basketball operations and general manager, it was announced Friday.

"For eight seasons, I have relied on Rob's vision and leadership to do what's best for the Lakers organization," Lakers governor Jeanie Buss said in a statement. "I value his partnership and professionalism and believe in his ability to deliver championship-caliber basketball for Los Angeles and Lakers fans everywhere."

Pelinka joined the Lakers in 2017 as general manager and had vice president of basketball operations added to his title in 2020.

Terms of the new deal were not announced.

Pelinka hired JJ Redick as the team's new coach last offseason. He also acquired Luka Doncic in a blockbuster trade with the Dallas Mavericks in February that provides a face of the franchise for the next 10 years, flexibility and assets this upcoming offseason, and organizational alignment.

Under Pelinka, the Lakers added LeBron James as a free agent in July of 2018 and since-departed Anthony Davis in a July 2019 trade.

The Lakers went 50-32 in the just-completed regular season -- their best record since the 2019-20 season -- to earn the No. 3 playoff seed in the Western Conference. They open the playoffs Saturday with a best-of-seven series against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Doncic was acquired Feb. 7 in a deal that cost the team Davis and Max Christie among other assorted pieces included in the deal. In 28 games with Los Angeles, Doncic averaged 28.2 points with 8.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists. The team went 19-13 after Doncic made his Feb. 10 debut.

The Lakers were just 35-47 in Pelinka's first full season as GM in 2017-18 then won the NBA title in 2020 during the shortened pandemic season. Los Angeles has made the playoffs in four of the five seasons since then, advancing as far as the Western Conference finals in 2023.

ESPN's Shams Charania and Field Level Media contributed to this report.