NBA Market: The Lakers make 2 key additions for their future

The internal restructuring of the Los Angeles Lakers continues to take shape following the arrival of Mark Walter as the new majority shareholder. And now, the most surprising move comes from an unexpected area: baseball. As confirmed by several sources to ESPN, two key figures from the Los Angeles Dodgers, Farhan Zaidi and Andrew Friedman, have started to provide advisory roles within the NBA franchise in Los Angeles.

Zaidi, currently a special advisor for the Dodgers known for his expertise in advanced analytics, is acting as Walter's direct representative in this transitional phase. According to the same sources, his task involves overseeing the reorganization process that accompanies the franchise's acquisition. His experience goes beyond baseball as he has also worked as an advisor for the Los Angeles Sparks, the WNBA team connected to Walter and TWG Sports.

Meanwhile, Friedman, the Dodgers' president of baseball operations and a central figure in the organization's winning of three World Series titles in the past six years, is playing a more specific role. He is advising Rob Pelinka, the Lakers' president, on operational matters related to sports management.

With the integration of both executives, both the Lakers and Dodgers will become part of TWG Sports, the structure created by Walter to centralize the management of all his sports properties. Zaidi and Friedman, as senior executives of the entity, play a key role after the Lakers' sale last month, valued at $10 billion and officially approved on October 29.

Initial Consequences

The new owner's arrival has already brought the first personnel adjustments. The Lakers parted ways with several members of their scouting department on Thursday, including Joey Buss and Jesse Buss, who confirmed their departure to Shams Charania. These are the initial significant moves of Walter's new project, aiming for a transition to evaluation methods more aligned with the analytical culture that characterizes the Dodgers.

Despite the internal changes, the sale agreement stipulates that Jeanie Buss will remain as the team's director for at least the next five years. Her presence ensures stability in the executive structure while Walter takes charge of the central decisions in the basketball area.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Mercado NBA: Los Lakers realizan 2 incorporaciones clave para su futuro