Rob Pelinka's Future Faces More Uncertainty as Lakers Hire Assistant GM From Miami Heat

The Los Angeles Lakers have overhauled the majority of the organization, from the players to the staff members, this summer. It all started when LeBron James left to join the Philadelphia 76ers. The Lakers built an entirely new group to surround Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. However, it seems that Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka may no longer have a bright future with the team.

Ever since Bob Iger and Josh Kushner reportedly purchased an ownership stake in the Lakers, the future of executive members such as Jeanie Buss has been jeopardized. Apparently, so does Pelinka's. According to recent reports, the Lakers have hired former Miami Heat vice president Eric Amsler as the team's new assistant general manager.

"The Los Angeles Lakers are hiring Miami Heat vice president of player personnel Eric Amsler as an assistant general manager," NBA insider Shams Charania wrote on X.

"Amsler – who spent over 22 years in the Heat organization starting as an intern and working his way up in various scouting, personnel, and G League roles – joins Rohan Ramadas as assistant GMs under president Rob Pelinka," Charania continued.

While Amsler is coming in under Pelinka's wing, theories that he will take over as the next general manager have been spreading online. This is due to Kushner's ties with the Heat organization. Fellow league insider Dan Woike pointed out on X that Kushner is also a minority owner of the Heat.

"Another source was very quick to point out that Josh Kushner is a minority owner of the Miami Heat," Woike wrote.

As of this writing, Pelinka's job remains safe for now. However, other sources suggest that if the newly formed Doncic-led Lakers have a poor start to the 2026-27 season, Rob's future with the team could be in jeopardy.

Rob Pelinka Expresses Satisfaction With New Lakers Look

Los Angeles Lakers fans are in for a real treat this coming season. This is because it'll be the first time we'll be witnessing a Lakers team without LeBron James on the roster. Everyone is intrigued to see how Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves can carry the team alongside their new teammates.

While the season has yet to commence, it would appear that Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka is happy with how the offseason turned out after James' departure earlier this summer.

"Honestly, I feel like we’ve exceeded expectations," Pelinka told The Athletic. Quote reposted by NBA insider Marc Jacobs. "We have guys who want to compete and genuinely want to be here. Last year, there were times where I don’t think everyone was fully aligned with what it takes to win. This group feels different. They’re bought in, and we expect to compete for a championship."

Given Pelinka's choice of words, he'd better hope that his new team can back up his statements. The new Lakers' performance will make or break Pelinka's future as the team's general manager under the ownership of Josh Kushner and Bob Iger.