After pulling off the most impressive blockbuster trade of all time by bringing Luka Doncic to Los Angeles, Rob Pelinka's future with the Lakers was all but confirmed. It was only a matter of time before the Lakers signed him to a contract extension and they did that on Friday, the day before the playoffs kicked off.
Now, Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick's futures are aligned as the Lakers enter a period of stability. With that, however, come high expectations.
The pressure is on Pelinka to continue to build championship-level teams around Luka Doncic. With LeBron James on the wrong side of 40, that will be a difficult balancing act. How much of the future should the Lakers be willing to sacrifice to win now when your best player is only 26 years old?
That is a question Pelinka, Redick, and the Lakers' top brass will try to answer day in and day out.
Jaxson Hayes' Future With the Lakers Uncertain After Rob Pelinka Extension
Regardless of the answer to that question, one thing is obvious: the Lakers need to upgrade in the frontcourt if they want to be a serious title contender.
The Lakers have been playing well above expectations since the trade deadline, considering that they only have one viable center on the roster, and that is Jaxson Hayes.
While Hayes has been better than expected as a starting center, the Lakers can't depend on him going forward. They need a better rim protector and defensive anchor who can cover for the shortcomings of the Lakers' porous perimeter defenders.
Hayes can be a solid bench big, but he is underqualified as a starter. This makes the Lakers' offseason decision a fascinating one. Hayes is on an expiring contract, and he likely played himself to a multi-year deal above the minimum. Considering that the Lakers will almost certainly trade for a starting center (since they already tried that before Mark Williams deal was rescinded), they will be hesitant to pay a backup center any significant salary.
If Hayes likes his role and would want to stay in LA, the Lakers will surely have him back on a team-friendly deal. Considering how expensive this team will be after looming extensions to Doncic and Austin Reaves, the Lakers will understandably think twice before committing to Hayes.