Rob Pelinka wants LeBron James to retire as a Los Angeles Laker

When LeBron James decided to take his talents to Los Angeles in the summer of 2018, it marked a new chapter for the Lakers.

At the time, James and the Lakers (who at that time were still co-managed by Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka) promised each other that they would do whatever it took to hang a 17th purple and gold banner in the rafters. And then, in his second year with the team, James fulfilled his promise, leading the team to the 2020 NBA Championship.

But just two seasons after winning the championship, almost everything the Lakers had built during LeBron’s tenure has come undone.