Pelinka chose D'Angelo over this superstar, what the PG needs to prove he has earned it

The Los Angeles Lakers GM Rob Pelinka has kept his word of building the team's roster for next season by bringing last season's core back, One of those players was D'Angelo Russell, despite the front office looking for a superstar upgrade.

According to The Athletic's Jovan Buha, that guard was Trae Young, a player that has been rumored to be in the purple and gold's organization radar for a long time now.

“The Lakers have pursued other star guards, including Damian Lillard, Kyle Lowry and Kyrie Irving. Even into this summer, there were some in the organization, including James, who still had an interest in pursuing Irving, though the front office ultimately prioritized continuity. Trae Young has long been on Los Angeles’ radar, depending on how his situation unfolds in Atlanta.” Said Buha.

By prioritizing continuity, D-Lo was brought back, but he still has to prove his value, as his backup Gabe Vincent could steal the starting role Russell currently has, and shortly, Pelinka and coach Ham could resume their pursuit of Trae Young and his situation with the Hawks.

Austin Reaves can become the guard the Lakers have long pursued

The reason why Pelinka pursued names like Kyrie Irving and Trae Young is that the team wanted a third star next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis for years, specifically a playmaking, higher-usage guard. With what Austin Reaves showed in the recent postseason run and what he's doing with Team USA, the Lakers may have found that player in him.