The Lakers loss on Wednesday to a depleted Blazers team felt like a team that had given up, and was ready for change. A blockbuster trade, a trade on the margins, a head coaching change, the specifics didn’t matter: It was just clear something needed to be changed.
General manager Rob Pelinka’s response at Thursday’s trade deadline? Standing pat.
It was a controversial and unexpected move — or lack of one — by Pelinka. The Lakers’ problems run so deep that the calculus made by Pelinka, Kurt Rambis and the rest of the front office that no marginal trade or coaching change could fix it.