Did Rob Pelinka and the Lakers’ Front Office Win NBA Buyout Sweepstakes?
While he came away empty handed at the Trade Deadline, Lakers VP of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka may have bounced back to win the NBA Buyout Sweepstakes by signing Andre Drummond and Ben McLemore.
The Lakers new buyout duo came up big last night as the undermanned Lakers, missing LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Kyle Kuzma, Marc Gasol, and Wesley Matthews, dominated the favored Nets in a 126–101 blowout. The stars of the game were the Lakers’ new center Andre Drummond who posted game high 20 points and 11 rebounds and guard Ben McLemore who rained 5 threes and 17 points late to turn a close game into a rout.
The game was a matchup of two highly publicized buyout duos as the Lakers’ Drummond and McLemore faced off against the Nets’ Aldridge and Griffin. The matchup of the buyout duos was a blowout just like the game itself. Drummond and McLemore played like championship contributors while Aldridge and Griffin played like waived veterans. The Lakers’ duo combined for 37 points and 12 boards vs. the Net’s duo’s 14 points and 3 boards.
The Nets were 11.5 point favorites despite missing their third superstar James Harden. The Lakers were not only missing their two superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis but also three other key players in the rotation. The difference in the game was the Lakers’ top ranked defense holding the Nets’ 2nd ranked offense to just 101 points on 43.8% shooting from the field and 18.5% shooting from deep, including 0–15 second half threes.
Pelinka’s buyout market coup has taken away a lot of sting out of losing LeBron and AD for at least another two or three weeks. Drummond and McLemore have given the Lakers serious hope they can weather the storm. Davis is expected back in two weeks and LeBron in three. The Lakers are now 1 loss behind the Nuggets for 4th in the West and two losses behind the Clippers for 3rd in the West. Their goal is obviously 3rd seed in the West.
While it’s still early and the sample size is small, Rob Pelinka and the Lakers’ front office may have won the NBA buyout sweepstakes with their savvy signings of center Andre Drummond and guard Ben McLemore.
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