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When the Los Angeles Lakers decided to go with a former agent as their new general manager, it seemed unlikely there was no scenario in which the negotiations were going to end in Rob Pelinka taking much of a pay cut.
Except according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, that’s exactly what happened.
"Rob Pelinka got a very, I heard a five-year contract worth more than $20 million,” Windhorst said (transcript via Real GM).
How much agents made is a pretty tightly-kept secret in professional sports, but considering the contract Pelinka has helped get his clients over the years (Hi, Kobe), it’s easy to assume even this is less than he was making in his prior career.
Compared to the contracts GMs around the league are making, Pelinka is probably in the upper half and, considering how little experience he has in this role, that and the length of the deal might make some nervous.
Pelinka has his work cut out for him, but at least he’ll be compensated very well as he tries to pull this rebuild off.