"Rob Pelinka pay that man" - LeBron James' friend dubs Lakers' undrafted guard 'hidden gem" following standout performance vs Bucks
After Quincy Olivari led the Lakers to a fourth-quarter comeback on Thursday, LeBron James' friend, CuffsTheLegend, is calling on General Manager Rob Pelinka to sign the young guard. In the fourth quarter of the team's clash with the Milwaukee Bucks, Olivari sparked a late-game comeback with 11 points and five rebounds, giving the team its first preseason win after two straight losses.
Currently, Olivari is signed to the Lakers on an Exhibit 10 deal, which means he doesn't have a guaranteed spot on LA's roster. However, the front office has the option to convert his contract to a full-fledged minimum deal.
As a result, CuffsTheLegend is calling on GM Rob Pelinka to convert Olivari's deal to a minimum contract for the remainder of the season. In a video on X (formerly Twitter), he weighed in on Olivari's performance:
"I think the Lakers may have found themselves a hidden gem with [Quincy] Olivari. This is how you make an NBA roster. Look at this guy competing. Moving the puppies. 94ft. Rob Palenka. JJ Reddick. Pay that man. Pay that man. Hurry up and pay this man before the rest of the league finds out."
"This is the definition of making the most of your opportunity. We gotta have him on the final roster. Rob Palinka. Don't mess this one up, Rob. ... Just look at the toolbox. Just look at the skill set. [Quincy] Olivari. The real question is, how did this type of talent go undrafted?"
Editor's Note: CuffsTheLegend refers to Olivari as "Chris" in this video. He has since provided a follow-up clarifying that he misspoke in calling Quincy, Chris.
JJ Redick praises Quincy Olivari following late-game comeback that caught the attention of LeBron James' friend
During the Lakers' media day session at the start of training camp, NBA fans on social media noticed Quincy Olivari, with many asking, "Who is 41?" In addition, he also took a picture with LeBron James, sparking further reactions from curious fans.
This led to jokes about Olivari being the default NBA 2k MyPlayer, however, on Thursday, Olivari put the league, and Lakers fans on notice with his play.
After the undrafted prospect out of Xavier led the team to a fourth-quarter comeback, coach JJ Redick spoke about Olivari to media members after the game. While doing so, he praised the young guard's work ethic and his demeanor:
“When you have someone who cares, who is a good teammate, who does all the right things and then he comes in a game and is picking up full court with a bloody mouth and changing the entire dynamic for us as a team, it’s easy to respond to that as a teammate and as a coaching staff. And I thought he just lit a fire for us.”
“He takes the game very seriously. He’s a player who, I talk about care factor, he’s a player who has a care factor for doing it the right way and wanting to execute whatever vision you give him. I’m excited that he’s in our program, I really am. We look at him as a coaching staff in very high regard.”
Olivari's play on Thursday also sparked an Instagram post from LeBron James, who made it clear that everyone knows who "41" is now. The question now is whether he will join James and the LA Lakers for the remainder of the season.