Rob Pelinka calls LeBron James signing with the Lakers ‘historic’

There’s no turning back now. The Los Angeles Lakers officially announced that four-time league MVP and three-time NBA champion LeBron James has signed a four-year contract with the team in a press release on Monday.

While James, who’s not expected to address the signing until later this month, didn’t comment, both team president Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka talked about how excited they were to finally have James in the purple and gold. Pelinka specifically thinks James’ signing is a historic day in NBA history.

“This is a historic moment for the Lakers, and we could not feel more grateful and honored,” Lakers General Manager Rob Pelinka said. “When LeBron James – a perennial NBA MVP and champion who is playing at the most astonishing levels of his career – chooses to join the Lakers, it serves as the ultimate validation for what we are building here. However, we all know that the work is not yet done. We will continue forward and do all that is necessary to achieve our shared obsession of bringing banner No. 17 to the world’s best fans – Lakers Nation.”

Pelinka was present when James signed his new deal and even posed for a picture with the King for the Klutch Sports Twitter account.

Pelinka will have the opportunity to share his full thoughts on the Lakers’ free agent signings, including James, on Wednesday during his media availability at the UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo tentatively scheduled to start at 11 a.m. However, from the looks of it, the team could not be more thrilled to have James on board.

In 82 regular season appearances for the Cavaliers last season, James averaged a team-high 27.5 points (third in the NBA), 8.6 rebounds, tied for his career-high, and a career-high 9.1 assists (second in the NBA), while shooting 54.2 percent from the field. James also became became the first player in NBA history to rack up at least 30,000 career points, 8,000 rebounds and 8,000 assists.

I guess you could say he’s pretty damn good.

James will now be tasked with leading the Lakers, who finished with 35 wins last season, to their first playoff berth in almost six years next season with a roster that was constructed ... differently, to put it kindly. It’s not going to be easy, but if there’s anyone that can do it, it’s King James.

You can follow the author of this story on Twitter at @RadRivas.