Lakers tap Dodgers leadership for assistant GM search
lakers-tap-dodgers-leadership-for-assistant-gm-search
The Los Angeles Lakers have expanded their hunt for two assistant general managers by bringing in high-profile voices from Major League Baseball. According to league sources, Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and general manager Farhan Zaidi have been sitting in on interviews for the open positions, which will work directly with Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka.
Pelinka told reporters the organization plans to hire one assistant GM to concentrate on player personnel and another to oversee strategy and analytics. “We have started a wide search and begun interviews,” he said.
The process is formally led by Pelinka and longtime Lakers executive Kurt Rambis. However, the added presence of Friedman or Zaidi in most sessions reflects new team governor Mark Walter’s intent to leverage expertise from the Dodgers, the MLB club he also owns. Walter completed his purchase of the Lakers earlier this year, marking this offseason as his first in charge of basketball operations.
Friedman and Zaidi helped turn the Dodgers into perennial contenders by emphasizing data-driven decision-making and collaborative front-office structures. Their participation is expected to give Pelinka additional viewpoints as the Lakers reshape their executive ranks ahead of a pivotal summer roster build.
Landing the right assistant general managers is viewed internally as essential to aligning scouting, analytics and salary-cap strategy throughout the franchise. Pelinka has repeatedly stated that organizational cohesion is critical as Los Angeles attempts to improve without resorting to the draft-position “tanking” strategy employed by some NBA teams.
The Lakers have not announced a hiring timeline, and interviews are ongoing.
Source: Lakers Nation
