The Los Angeles Lakers are integrating an individual with a strong analytical background to collaborate with general manager Rob Pelinka. Reports from ESPN’s Shams Charania indicate the franchise has appointed Rohan Ramadas, formerly the New Orleans Pelicans’ vice president of strategy and operations, as their new assistant general manager, serving under Pelinka.
Mr. Ramadas possesses a notable professional background. He dedicated the last two years to a permanent position with the Pelicans, advancing from senior director of analytics and innovation to vice president of strategy and operations in merely a year. Before this, he served the Pelicans for eight seasons in an advisory capacity focusing on analytics.
Prior to his current role, Ramadas’ career encompassed both NBA engagements and contributions to NASA initiatives. For the 2016-17 NBA season, he functioned as a draft specialist for the Miami Heat. Furthermore, according to the Pelicans organization, he dedicated more than ten years to “providing support to the Aerospace Corporation, U.S. Space Force, and NASA as an engineer specializing in rocket guidance, navigation, control, and mission design.”
An ESPN source characterized him as “a genuine rocket scientist.”
The Lakers are approaching a pivotal off-season period. Given LeBron James’s status as an unrestricted free agent, the club has the chance to reconstruct its squad with Luka Dončić as a central figure. Although James’s return to the organization remains a possibility, the team might also choose to emphasize youth as Dončić emerges as the franchise’s public representation.
Considering Ramadas’ past responsibilities, it is anticipated that he will assist the team in advancing their statistical and analytical frameworks. Pelinka validated this expectation during post-season media sessions, informing journalists that the assistant general manager position would concentrate on “salary cap, analytics, and data,” according to ESPN.
During his tenure with the Pelicans, Ramadas constructed artificial intelligence models designed to support the front office operations.
Beyond the appointment of Ramadas, the Lakers are also seeking to recruit an additional assistant general manager, as reported by ESPN, whose primary focus will be on draft-related matters.
