The Lakers’ offseason has officially begun. The Los Angeles Lakers hired former Pelicans vice president of strategy and operations Rohan Ramadas as an assistant general manager under Rob Pelinka.
This is the first move in the Lakers’ front-office restructuring under new ownership. Rob Pelinka told ESPN that Ramadas is filling one of two assistant general manager roles, and his responsibilities will mirror his role in New Orleans. He will focus on salary cap, analytics and data. The other, still-open role will focus on scouting and player development.
Despite holding a master’s degree in aerospace engineering and spending over a decade with the Aerospace Corporation, Ramadas has established himself in the NBA. He joined the Pelicans’ front office as senior director of analytics and innovation and earned a promotion less than a year later.
Good Sign or Bad Sign?
This is a pivotal offseason for the Lakers. LeBron James is undecided about where he will play next year, Austin Reaves is expecting a contract extension and Rui Hachimura may have played himself into a payday.
With so many questions looming, it’s encouraging to see the Lakers taking their front-office restructuring seriously. Hopefully, the Ramadas hire is a precursor to a busy offseason in L.A, both on and off the court.
But the source of the Lakers’ first front-office hire is discouraging.
The Pelicans went 47-117 over the last two seasons and, because of their latest big move, don’t even have a first-round pick in this year’s draft.
Last year, the Pelicans included this year’s draft pick in a draft-night deal that allowed them to select Derik Queen. They landed the player they wanted, but it cost them a lottery pick in one of the league’s most talented drafts.
This decision is the latest example of the Pelicans’ poor reputation as a franchise. Hopefully, it isn’t a reflection of what Ramadas will bring to the Lakers’ front office.
Leave a comment