The Los Angeles Lakers are in the process of reshaping their scouting department and front office, with internal changes expected at some point this season.
The Los Angeles Lakers are going through a rough stretch, having lost four of their last five games and eight of their past 13.
Los Angeles Lakers / Schedule
With the Feb. 5 trade deadline approaching, the team is reportedly looking to add a 3-and-D wing to strengthen the roster. In that process, the scouting department is expected to play a crucial role in identifying the right targets.
However, changes may be coming internally as well. According to NBA reporter Jovan Buha, the Lakers could be reshaping not only their roster strategy but also their front office and scouting operations.
"I did hear tonight that they're ongoing in terms of the scouting process, for the scouting department, and that there will be changes coming at some point, likely this season," Buha said on his latest podcast. "There will not just be with the scouting department.
"There will be large... as we discussed after the sale, like they're going to build out this front office in a way that I think is going to be competitive with the other top front offices in the league," he added. "That is a process right now that they're undergoing in terms of identifying the right people, and I've said countless times before, it's both quantity and quality.
"LA could use better people in the front office, but they could also use more of those people and be more competitive with some of the other top front offices in the league in terms of having, again, like five or six people in a certain position or department rather than like two or three, so doubling up or increasing that by 30 to 40 percent. That's the goal for them.
"So, my understanding is that it is an ongoing process in terms of them trying to identify those people," Buha went on to say. "When they will be hiring them, I don't have clarity on it. It sounded like the second half of the regular season is in play, but we will see with that."
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The organizational changes might follow a landmark $10 billion sale, officially approved in late October, in which the Buss family sold a majority stake to billionaire Mark Walter, owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Jeanie Buss remains the team's governor and continues to represent the new ownership group. Rob Pelinka, meanwhile, currently serves as the Lakers' president of basketball operations and general manager.
As part of the transition, Dodgers executives Farhan Zaidi and Andrew Friedman were brought in as advisors, while the Buss brothers, Joey and Jesse, were let go after the sale.
The Lakers sit at 24-15 and fifth in the Western Conference. However, the gap between Los Angeles and the top four teams in the standings continues to widen.
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