Dwight Howard calls out Rob Pelinka for breaking up 2020 Lakers
Jan 15, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard (12) arrives at Toyota Center before a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Dwight Howard thinks the Los Angeles Lakers team that won a championship in 2020 had a lot more to give if only general manager Rob Pelinka had given them the chance.
In a new episode of the “Above the Rim” podcast, Howard was critical of Pelinka for what he saw as breaking up the 2020 team instead of giving them the chance to run it back. Howard argued that the team would have been healthier the next season, and potentially even more successful.
Dwight Howard disses Rob Pelinka for splitting up the Lakers’ 2020 championship team 😳
“Rob Pelinka, man. God, Rob, why did you do that to us, man?… We could’ve run it back. We would’ve been healthier for the next year.”
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“I’m gonna tell you who it was. Rob Pelinka, man,” Howard said. “Rob, why you do that to us? I still love you, Rob, but we had the squad. We could’ve ran it back. We would have been healthier for next year.”
Howard may be overselling just how much Pelinka blew up the team. Rajon Rondo left and did not have much success after doing so, but the Lakers brought in Dennis Schroder to replace him. Howard may have been a loss, and he left under odd circumstances, but the Lakers replaced him with Montrezl Harrell, who was at that time the reigning Sixth Man of the Year. The rest of the core largely stayed in place, but injuries were a problem in 2020-21, undermining Howard’s suggestion that they would have stayed healthy.
Winning an NBA title was a huge moment in Howard’s career. Obviously, he would have liked a chance to win a second, but he is somewhat overstating how much Pelinka blew things up in 2020.