Rob Pelinka celebrates the strong connection between the Lakers' new star trio

The 2026-27 Los Angeles Lakers are looking a lot different from what people were used to seeing in previous years. Now, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are the star players, but they do have another member of their trio: Walker Kessler.

They appear to be the locked-in starters for head coach JJ Redick. The trio is already getting some rave reviews, including one from Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka, who has seen them play together during practices.

Rob Pelinka celebrates the Lakers' new trio for the 2026-27 season

Doncic and Reaves are clearly the best players on the Lakers roster at the moment. However, they need someone who can work with both of them to make them even more effective.

That comes in the form of Kessler, who is a center who fits right in with both of their play styles. Both players thrive in the pick-and-roll, and Kessler has shown that he can work well as the roll man, lob threat, and a pop threat with what he showed in his five games in the 2025-26 season.

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As the GM, Pelinka has been present in many of the Lakers' offseason workouts. During those workouts, he has seen the trio of Doncic, Reaves, and Kessler play together, and they are already meshing well.

"Already, the connection in the pickup games we've watched between Austin and Kessler, and Luka and Kessler, just in terms of what Kessler is in the pick-and-roll game. He's so elite at catching lobs. It really unlocks parts of Luka and Austin in the pick-and-roll that I think our fans are going to really enjoy watching," Pelinka said in an interview with ESPN LA 710.

With this kind of trio already showing a solid connection in the offseason, they could be in for a massive campaign together in the regular season. The Lakers are not seen as a top contender just yet, but this trio could elevate them to that status.

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