Lakers: Insider Rips LA; Calls Front Office a 'Disaster'

ESPN's Tim Bontemps had a very harsh critique of the Lakers organization in the wake of LeBron James discontentment with the franchise.

Most of the recent talk surrounding the Lakers has been largely about the relationship between the front office and LeBron James. LeBron, in case one hasn’t heard, is largely unhappy with the Lakers decision to not make a trade at the deadline.

So much so that, according to one report, LeBron wanted Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka ousted.

Amongst the fallout from a wild week of LeBron-fueled drama is the idea of the Lakers opting to trade LeBron James this offseason. Trading LeBron might be a stretch, but NBA writer Tim Bontemps thinks whatever the Lakers decide to do this offseason will be the wrong move. He explained in an episode of ESPN's Hoop Collective. 

“I think a discussion like this, which centers around making pragmatic, smart, long-term thinking in either direction, is sort of pointless because the Lakers are not going to make pragmatic, smart, long-term choices."

Bontemps believes that the current state of the Lakers reflects year of poor decision making. 

“The situation the Lakers are in now is a result of screwing up a lot of things over the past couple of years. Really, I think we can safely say, going back to 2013, this team has been a disaster from a management standpoint."

The writer also doesn't believe that the Lakers front office had a whole lot to do with LeBron coming to LA. Bontemps contends that LeBron choose the Lakers, not the other way around. Safe to say, Bontemps is not alone in that school of thought.

Barring a miraculous run to the NBA Finals this year, the Lakers, from Pelinka to LeBron James, have plenty of soul-searching to do this offseason.

According to Bontemps, however Pelinka and the Lakers move forward this summer, with or without LeBron, will likely be another ill-fated decision with disappointing results.