Baseline: Matching Game: NBA stars and tennis pros

Los Angeles Lakers GM Rob Pelinka recently met with the media ahead of training camp. When the topic of roster building came up, Pelinka said he’s open to trading first-round picks if the right deal came along.

“I think the philosophy that (Lakers coach) JJ (Redick) and I are aligned on is we want to build sustainable Lakers excellence,” Pelinka said. “And I think, when we talk about moves, you can make a move that backfires. I think every GM has made a trade where he says, ‘Maybe that one wasn’t ideal.’ But every lens that we look through has to lead to sustainable Lakers excellence.”

Pelinka and Redick also said that they are working out a plan for getting LeBron James and his son Bronny on the court together. It’s expected that early in the season the James duo will become the first father-son combo to play together in an NBA game.