Los Angeles Lakers Cut More Than a Dozen Business-Side Jobs in Ongoing Restructure
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The Los Angeles Lakers notified over a dozen employees on Wednesday that their positions were being eliminated as the franchise continues a broad business-side overhaul, according to a source familiar with the decision.
The layoffs come seven months after the NBA approved the club’s $10 billion sale to businessman Mark Walter, ending nearly five decades of Buss family ownership. Since the sale, the front office has installed new leadership, including Lon Rosen as president of business operations—succeeding longtime executive Tim Harris—Michael Spetner as chief strategy and growth officer, and Ryan Kantor as vice president of global partnerships.
Staff reductions affected multiple departments, among them marketing, team communications, team content, and corporate partnerships, the source said.
While trimming its business staff, the organization is adding resources on the basketball side. President of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka recently hired two-time Naismith Coach of the Year Tony Bennett as a draft consultant and advisor. The team also brought in Rohan Ramadas this week as assistant general manager of strategy and data systems.
Pelinka told reporters during exit interviews earlier this month that the Lakers plan to appoint another assistant GM focused on professional and draft scouting as well as player development. He added that the franchise will expand its player performance infrastructure with a biomechanics lab, a movement lab, and a recovery lab at the UCLA Health Training Center.
Source: ESPN
