Luka Dealt to Lakers: Nico Harrison is a Basketball Terrorist

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

It's a significant risk on Pelinka's part. Can he salvage Luka?

One could argue that his career was more at risk than Nico's, prior to the trade.

There's a couple of things that might change Luka's path.  I'm guessing these were discussed between Pelinka and Nico:

1. The ongoing mentorship of uber-disciplined LeBron, and

2. The shock value of being traded away by a franchise that has lost faith in you.

BTW, when I read reports about Luka's conditioning being a primary factor in Dallas' willingness to trade him, my initial thought was that Dallas had leaked that in order to placate their fan base.  Now, I'm wondering if Pelinka was the one, primarily as a motivator to Luka to start taking his personal discipline seriously.

"Salvage" Luka?  That's a bit extreme.  Dude is a walking 30pt triple double and perennial MVP candidate.

I love Barkley's story about Moses Malone calling him a fat ass and that he'll never be great until he gets into shape.  Barkley lost 50 lbs.  Now take that with a player incredibly more talented.  Luka is already on the road to the HOF, but if he could get into the best possible shape for him, he could be an alltime great.

Lebron has to make Luka his grasshopper.  No one in the history of professional sports has physically beaten father time like Lebron.  Luka can choose to go that route and become an alltime great, or just become a HOFer on his current path.