Lakers hire – The Los Angeles Lakers have hired Rohan Ramadas, a former Aerospace Corporation executive and Pelicans strategy leader, to serve as an assistant general manager under Rob Pelinka—an embrace of AI and advanced analytics as the team also faces a pivotal moment a
The Los Angeles Lakers did something quietly dramatic this week: they brought in a “rocket scientist” with a résumé built for strategy, operations, and AI—right as the franchise’s attention turns to what LeBron James will do next.
The hiring. reported by ESPN. puts Rohan Ramadas into a front-office role as an assistant general manager under Lakers president and general manager Rob Pelinka. There’s no indication Ramadas will be building rockets. ESPN’s reporting frames it more simply: his aerospace skills translate to basketball thinking. using data and models rather than guesswork.
Ramadas last worked for the New Orleans Pelicans as vice president of strategy and operations. His LinkedIn profile, as described in the report, also shows a 12-year stretch at The Aerospace Corporation. ESPN quoted a Pelicans source saying of Ramadas, “He’s a literal rocket scientist.”
In September 2024, Ramadas joined the Pelicans as Senior Director of Analytics and Innovation, according to his LinkedIn profile. The same profile indicates he was promoted a year later to the strategy-and-operations position. At the Pelicans, ESPN reported he helped implement AI and coded models to support the front office. The expectation now. according to ESPN’s reporting. is that the Lakers will lean on Ramadas for similar responsibilities—building out analytics capabilities as decisions become more tightly tied to technology.
The Lakers’ move lands during a period of shifting stakes for the franchise. LeBron James. after the series. is weighing retirement. running it back. or playing for a new team—three options that change how fans. executives. and investors all view the next chapter. At the same time, the organization is expanding its leadership structure.
The report says the Lakers are expected to hire another assistant general manager. with the staff growing a year after Mark Walter. the majority owner of the Dodgers. bought the Lakers for $10 billion. In a league where marginal gains matter. an expanded analytics-heavy staff suggests the Lakers want their decision-making to look as modern as their roster aspirations.
For a franchise still searching for its first NBA title since 2020 and its 18th overall, the timing isn’t lost on anyone. If LeBron’s future and the Lakers’ revamped front office move together, the message would be straightforward: the next run won’t be built on instinct alone.
Los Angeles Lakers Rohan Ramadas assistant general manager Rob Pelinka LeBron James analytics AI in sports New Orleans Pelicans The Aerospace Corporation NBA front office