Lakers focused on depth and building around Luka Dončić following playoff exit
“The archetype of the roster that we want is going to be retrofitted around Luka and the things he needs.”
Lakers GM Rob Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick addressing the media in end of season press conference, Tuesday May 12, 2026 in El Segundo, Calif. One day after their season ended in a sweep against the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick made one thing clear during Tuesday's end-of-season interview: Building a championship roster around Luka Dončić. Pelinka described the offseason as a “deconstruction” process where the organization will evaluate everything from roster fit to infrastructure improvements after a season filled with injuries, lineup changes and shifting roles.
“There’s a lot to be proud of,” Pelinka said. “But certainly nothing that we’re satisfied about. This is a market with championship expectations.
” Even after back-to-back 50-win seasons, Pelinka acknowledged the Lakers still need to improve their depth, athleticism and the overall roster to compete with the best teams in the NBA. “I think if you look around the playoffs right now, depth is really important,” Pelinka said. “Athleticism and youth...
we have a lot of components of that on our roster, but we need to add to it. ” Redick echoed that sentiment, saying one of the biggest lessons from the postseason was how valuable roster depth has become across the NBA. “You look at OKC’s roster, you look at San Antonio’s roster, those guys have 13 high-level rotation players minimum,” Redick said.