Lakers’ New Business President Vows to Keep Rob Pelinka Amid Surprising Involvement of Magic Johnson and Dodgers Titans

Change is in the air for the Los Angeles Lakers’ front office, but don’t expect a total makeover — it’s more like a remix with a hefty dose of Dodgers flavor. Lon Rosen, the freshly minted president of business operations for the Lakers, made it clear during a recent chat with reporters that Rob Pelinka will keep steering the basketball side of things. Yep, the guy who inked an extension last April and stepped up as president of basketball operations isn’t going anywhere just yet. What’s stirring the pot? Well, Magic Johnson, part-owner of the Dodgers and Lakers legend, is stepping back into the fold, albeit without an official title this time around. And there’s more: Dodgers’ brains like Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi are set to offer their savvy to Pelinka’s team, all spurred by Mark Walter’s takeover of the Lakers stakes. It’s an intriguing crossover — blending winning formulas from baseball’s powerhouse with basketball ambitions, right on the cusp of a summer that could shake the NBA with LeBron James hitting free agency and whispers of Giannis Antetokounmpo on the trade block. Curious to know all the details and what this could mean for the purple and gold? LEARN MORE.

The future of the Los Angeles Lakers front office apparently won’t be too different from the past, except for some additions from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Speaking with reporters Tuesday, Lon Rosen — the Lakers’ recently hired president of business operations — said the team’s plan is for general manager Rob Pelinka to continue running basketball operations, according Dan Woike of The Athletic.

Pelinka signed an extension with the Lakers last April and also received the title of president of basketball operations.

Additionally, minority Dodgers owner and former Lakers star Magic Johnson will again be involved in the franchise’s operations, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. Johnson, who previously worked as the Lakers’ president of basketball operations alongside Pelinka, will reportedly not have a title this time around, though.

Rosen, who was hired after a lengthy stint as the Dodgers’ chief marketing officer, also confirmed that Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and special adviser Farhan Zaidi will provide input for Pelinka. The moves are being made following the purchase of the Lakers by Dodgers principal owner Mark Walter.

From left, Los Angeles Lakers President Magic Johnson and Lakers General Manager Rob Pelinka talking before the start of the game against the Miami Heat on Sunday, Nov. 18, 2018 at AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami, Fla. (David Santiago/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) — Magic Johnson is returning to the Lakers, in an unspecified capacity. (David Santiago/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

(Miami Herald via Getty Images)

Pelinka said earlier this month the Lakers front office will be expanded, with the Dodgers as something of a vision board via the California Post:

“When Mark bought the team, Jeanie and I did a deep dive with him on sort of the areas he wants to grow, move into and get aggressive,” Pelinka said to a handful of beat reporters ahead of Saturday’s home game against the Golden State Warriors. “And again, looking at the Dodgers and how they built it out has been a great sort of example and North Star. And so we’re still going through that process of how we’ll look in the offseason and what additions we’ll make. But there will be some positive changes and we will build things out, again, led by myself and Jeanie, and with Mark’s support.”

It’s not a surprise Walter is introducing some of his Dodgers brain trust to the Lakers after taking over. Under Friedman, the Dodgers have either won 100 games or reached the World Series in every season since 2017, with three titles to show for it. The Lakers have won a title under Pelinka too, in 2020, but they’ve only advanced past the first round once since then.

Obviously, what works best in baseball won’t be 100% applicable to basketball, but there are probably some parts of organizational management that could translate.

All of this is coming in the run-up to what could be an eventful summer for the Lakers, with LeBron James hitting free agency and Giannis Antetokounmpo potentially being available for a trade.