Lakers out to retain core roster after NBA playoffs failure, says Pelinka
After suffering a playoff exit to the Phoenix Suns, the Los Angeles Lakers will aim to come back stronger than ever next season.
The Los Angeles Lakers will strive to keep the core of their roster together for next season after fluffing their lines in this year's playoffs.
Lakers bow out of playoffs after series defeat to Suns
Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka pledged the team would come back ready to fight for the championship after suffering a 4-2 series loss to the Phoenix Suns.
Thursday's 113-100 home defeat sealed the Lakers' fate, with their hopes dealt a blow when Anthony Davis' comeback from a groin injury lasted only five minutes.
The Lakers were 8-2 in home games when facing playoff elimination since 2000 but the Suns blew them away with a 36-14 opening quarter on the road.
Phoenix carried a 60-41 advantage into half-time and while LeBron James tried to spark a Lakers rally with 29 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and two blocks, it was not enough."
"The goal is to try to keep that core group together"
However, far from going back to the drawing board, the 17-time NBA champions want next season to be business as usual, with a largely familiar-looking roster to call upon.
"I think when you fall short of the goal that you set, it has to drive you," said Pelinka. "It has to be the fuel that drives your passion, and I think us falling short as a team, that in some sense is going to be part of our motivation and putting in the work to getting back at it, and start training camp next year with a strong roster.
"I'm convinced that, again, without some of the unforeseen circumstances this year, the challenges that we had to face, that we'd be a championship-calibre team. So the goal is to try to keep that core group together."
Lakers owe returning fans a "championship-calibre team"
The franchise already has over $100 million earmarked for James, Davis, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Kyle Kuzma next season, but Pelinka is confident that other star talents will be retained.
"Jeanie [Buss] and the ownership group has empowered the front office to do one thing and that's to smartly build a roster to win championships," he said.
"I think next year, of course, hopefully, with all of our fans being able to come back and be a part of the building, we owe them the work to start the process of retooling and have a championship-calibre team that can do special things next year.
"That's the driving passion and there's alignment there between Jeanie, the front office, the coaches. That will always be the goal. We have an insatiable desire and passion to bring banner number 18 here."