As the Los Angeles Lakers adjust to their new ownership group led by businessman Mark Walter, the organization is undergoing some changes.
That could mean more resources are on the way to help the franchise get even with its peers. That would likely be a welcome change for an organization that has been described as thin behind the scenes — something Lakers head coach J.J. Redick reportedly noticed after he was hired.
“For years, the Lakers have operated with one of the NBA’s thinnest front offices,” wrote Yaron Weitzman of Yahoo Sports. “A small player performance and medical group. A tiny analytics team. No assistant GMs. Even JJ Redick, after being hired as head coach in June 2024, told a friend he was surprised by how lean the team was behind the scenes.”
After the Lakers were eliminated this season, team executive Rob Pelinka had some interesting comments about the franchise’s direction.
“It’s a full rebuild and retool,” Pelinka said of the organization’s collaboration with the Los Angeles Dodgers. “It’s adding to the great things that are already here, which have led to success, but elevating it and bringing it to the next level.”
Walter, who also owns the Dodgers, has helped that organization become a juggernaut, and if something similar is in the cards for the Lakers, that’s wonderful news for the Purple and Gold.
Although Redick might’ve been caught off guard by how thin the Lakers were after he was hired, the coach has done a nice job during his tenure.
In his debut season, the Lakers won 50 games and earned the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference. They took a quick exit in the first round of the playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves but still had some positives to feel good about from the season.
Then, this past season, the Lakers increased their win total to 53 and ended up with the No. 4 seed in the West. Despite major injury blows, the team took care of business in the first round of the playoffs against the Houston Rockets, but it was later swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round.
In addition to undergoing an ownership transition, L.A. is in the midst of a roster transition centered around its superstars. For years, star forward LeBron James has been the main building block for the franchise, but after the Lakers were able to acquire star guard Luka Doncic last season, he has become their new centerpiece.
The revolving doors have made it an interesting time to follow the organization as it attempts to steady the ship. The hope is that in the near future, the Lakers will be competing for championships again after they last won it all in the 2019-20 season.
