The 2020 Lakers team could easily go down as one of the best rosters in the franchise’s history. The championship-winning side had everything, they were at the top of the league but still, Rob Pelinka decided to break that up. Was that delirium? Was that panic? Only Pelinka has the answer to that, but his blunders were not above criticism. So he found out when a former Laker brutally attacked his questionable calls in the seasons following. Now Kyle Kuzma has joined in too, followed by an insider investigating the tracks left behind.

Praising Rob Pelinka’s moves for Dennis Schroder, and Malik Monk, in the succeeding years of the championship, Trevor Lane pointed out the irregularities in the Lakers exec’s methods. “Like, even the Russell Westbrook trade, why were the Lakers giving up a first in that? That never made any sense. Even go back to the Anthony Davis trade that they probably kicked in one asset more than they should have. Not that that was a bad dream. They won a championship. But it’s just been kind of a consistent theme,” Lane said on Lakers Nation.

During the Westbrook trade, which cost the franchise $44 million in salary for the former MVP, the Lakers parted ways with Kyle Kuzma and he is still upset over the breakup. While on his visit to Manila, he opened up about his thoughts on Pelinka’s decision to trade him. “They gave up on that team too a little too early. Rob panicked a little bit. But you know in the NBA, things happen fast, you never know what’s going to happen next,” Kuzma told All-Star Magazine’s Naveen Ganglani. Kuzma wasn’t the only one who felt they were wronged by Pelinka’s calls. On the list of the disgruntled, former Lakers players and coaches were also included.

Ex-Champs berate Rob Pelinka’s offseason decisions, blaming him for ‘messing up’ the next dynasty, following championship win

The Purple and Gold of 2020 not only triumphed over their challengers, but they even overcame the unsettling odds of the pandemic era. Empty arena, unprecedented restrictions, zero interaction outside the bubble, everything took a toll on body and soul but the Lakers were in defiance that led them to the chip. And that could’ve been the beginning of a dynasty. At least that’s what Dwight Howard believes.

The former Lakers C recently blamed Rob Pelinka for ruining that potential dynasty with his odd choices. “Rob kinda messed up the dynasty we was creating. We would’ve had at least 2 championships and an opportunity to fight for a third one,” DH12 said during an episode of his podcast. Supporting that, former Lakers assistant coach Phil Handy also expressed his one-word take.

“Facts,” Handy wrote in the comments of a post highlighting Howard’s statement. He was assistant coach to both Frank Vogel and Darvin Ham before departing from the org this offseason. Pelinka’s decision to part ways with Danny Green, Rajon Rondo, Dwight Howard, JaVale McGee, Kyle Kuzma, and Alex Caruso for Dennis Schroder, Montrezl Harrell, Marc Gasol, Wesley Matthews, and Russell Westbrook now makes no sense at all seeing the aftermath. So if the players couldn’t forgive Pelinka for his blunders, it’s hard to imagine the fans will ever do him that favor either.

Before you go, remember to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr.