Though Jeanie Buss is technically continuing her role as team governor, it’s quickly becoming clear who is actually running the Los Angeles Lakers. Mark Walter didn’t buy the team at a valuation of $10 billion just to let previous ownership call the shots.
While it sounds like it was Jeanie Buss’ call to fire Joey and Jesse Buss from the scouting department, it likely doesn’t happen if Walter isn’t in the building. Plus, Walter is bringing in a couple of trusted advisors to help the franchise.
According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, the Lakers have brought on two important Los Angeles Dodgers executives in an advisory role.
“Farhan Zaidi and Andrew Friedman, two key executives with the Los Angeles Dodgers, have begun playing advisory roles with theLos Angeles Lakers as part of the ownership transition from the Buss family to Mark Walter, multiple sources told ESPN,” Shelburne wrote. “Zaidi, currently a special adviser to the Dodgers and renowned for his analytics background, is functioning as Walter’s representative in helping with the transition, sources close to the situation said.
“Friedman, who currently acts as the president of baseball operations with the Dodgers, has played a lesser role. He mostly consults with Lakers president of basketball operations, Rob Pelinka, sources said. Friedman has helped the Dodgers win three of the last six World Series.”
What This Means for Lakers
Friedman has proven to be arguably the best executive in baseball and, without question, one of the best executives in sports. Zaidi has been his right-hand man running the Dodgers for years, and the two have done a lot of winning.
Now, basketball and baseball are very different. In the MLB, there’s no salary cap, so Friedman and Zaidi can utilize Walter’s seemingly endless pockets to great effect. That won’t be as simple in the NBA, as the league has a much more complex salary cap situation.
That said, they’re both great minds with strong analytical backgrounds. It makes sense that Walter would utilize them in every way he can. They’ve helped make him a lot of money by turning the Dodgers into a powerhouse. If there’s any way they can help the Lakers, Watler is going to take advantage of that.
Pelinka Has to Be Feeling the Pressure
The fact that Friedman is closely working with Pelinka is very interesting. He’s been a made man under the Buss family, considering his close ties to Kobe Bryant.
While he gets a lot of criticism, he has done a lot of good things, like trading for Anthony Davis and Luka Doncic. However, he’s also made a lot of questionable moves.
Friedman is likely trying to help him in a consulting role, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if Walter is having the Dodgers executive evaluate Pelinka. He doesn’t know basketball that well, but that doesn’t mean he can’t figure out whether or not Pelinka is good at his job. Regardless, the longtime Lakers general manager is officially on notice and has to be feeling some pressure to keep his job.
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