As the NBA Finals take center stage, the Los Angeles Lakers are already shifting focus to what promises to be a pivotal offseason. After another early playoff exit, the franchise is under pressure to reshape its roster around new centerpiece Luka Dončić—an acquisition that has stirred up more than just excitement in Los Angeles.
The midseason trade that brought Dončić from Dallas to L.A. was met with league-wide disbelief. Many executives and analysts, including NBA insider Jake Weinbach, described the deal as a “gift” to the Lakers, with speculation that the close relationship between Lakers executive Rob Pelinka and Mavericks GM Nico Harrison helped make it happen. That perception has sparked frustration across front offices, intensifying long-standing beliefs about a so-called “Lakers tax” in trade negotiations.
Los Angeles Lakers Will Be Expected To Overpay To Build a Contending Roster
Now, that resentment could have real consequences. According to Weinbach, rival teams are expected to make trade discussions difficult for the team going forward—perhaps even requiring them to “overpay” for desired assets. In a league that already harbors a degree of envy toward the Lakers’ superstar legacy, the Dončić trade may have deepened that divide.
Los Angeles is now in full roster-building mode, eyeing upgrades at the center position and along the wings. Players like Nic Claxton, Brook Lopez, and Daniel Gafford have been mentioned as potential targets. But any pursuit will be complicated by the perception that the Lakers got Dončić at a bargain—fair or not.
Pelinka has proven capable of navigating complex deals in the past, but this offseason may be his toughest challenge yet. The front office needs to act quickly. Dončić, eligible for an extension in August, is widely expected to re-sign—but possibly on a short-term deal that allows for flexibility. If the Lakers can’t build a legitimate contender soon, they risk watching another generational star slip through their fingers.
Whether the Dončić deal was a gift or a gamble, it now falls on Pelinka and his staff to prove they can turn it into something more than just a headline. The clock is already ticking in Los Angeles—and the rest of the league is watching closely.