Topic / Subject
Per ESPN, new Lakers president of business operations Lon Rosen says Rob Pelinka will continue running basketball operations, with Dodgers execs Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi involved as advisors.

TL;DR / Summary
Lon Rosen says Rob Pelinka is still in charge of basketball ops, but the Lakers are bringing in Dodgers execs as high-level support. The power structure is widening, not flipping.

Key Details

• Lon Rosen has been named the Lakers’ president of business operations.
• Rosen told reporters Rob Pelinka will continue leading basketball operations, per ESPN.
• Rosen indicated Dodgers executives Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi will be involved in supporting the basketball-ops leadership.
• Coverage also notes Magic Johnson is expected to be around the organization, though not necessarily with an official title.
• What’s still unclear is how hands-on the Dodgers execs will be day to day.

Breakdown
This is the Lakers basically saying: “Yes, the front office is expanding, but Pelinka still has the wheel.”

The interesting wrinkle is the “Dodgers brain trust” angle. Friedman and Zaidi are big-time operators in baseball, and even if they’re only advisors, their fingerprints could show up in process, risk tolerance, and long-term roster planning.

It also sets up a very specific offseason vibe: if the Lakers make a major swing, fans will wonder whether it was Pelinka’s call, or a decision shaped by the new support system around him.

What to Watch Next

• Any clarity on what “involved” means (weekly meetings vs true veto power).
• Whether the Lakers add more front-office roles before draft/free agency season.
• The first major roster move under this new structure (and who speaks publicly about it).

Sources

• ESPN — New Lakers president Lon Rosen: Pelinka to remain in role
• Yahoo Sports — New Lakers business president says team will retain Rob Pelinka…
• Reuters — Lakers name Lon Rosen president of business ops

Comment
Do you think the Dodgers execs will actually shape Lakers roster decisions, or is this mostly optics and structure?