The Los Angeles Lakers’ front office will be restructured once more this summer, as the team intends to hire two assistant general managers under team president and GM Rob Pelinka. Pelinka announced the move alongside head coach JJ Redick at the duo’s end-of-season press conference Tuesday.
Lakers Front Office Expansion: Team Plans to Hire Two Assistant GMs
Pelinka: “Build Out” of Lakers Front Office in the Works
While Pelinka did not discuss specifics around new front office hires, he noted that the “build-out” has already begun, which will include the two assistant GMs who will serve as “key pillars” in the organization.
“We will hire two assistant general managers—that’s the plan. One of those general managers would be over player, draft and evaluation processes. That’s pro scouting, draft scouting, player development. The other AGM would be more on the strategy side, which is cap, analytics and data. And again, it’s not that we’ve had holes in those places—we’ve got a great team of people that works incredibly hard. It’s just we want to add more to that. For both those AGM positions, we have started a wide search and have begun interviews, but haven’t hired out either of those.”
Both AGMs will undoubtedly have their hands full, as the Lakers look to put the right pieces around Luka Doncic. While both Pelinka and Redick confirmed that LeBron James and Austin Reaves would be welcomed back, they added that both stars would have ample time to make their respective decisions.
Rob Pelinka says the Lakers want to "honor" LeBron James by giving him the time to make a decision on his future, but want him back if he wants to come back. He says the team also wants Austin Reaves to return and have expressed that sentiment to Reaves' representatives.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) May 12, 2026
Other pending free agents—namely Rui Hachimura, Luke Kennard, Deandre Ayton (player option) and Marcus Smart (player option)—have all made their cases to stay at various points of the season. However, the question now becomes whether any of them truly align with the Lakers’ vision around Doncic. The team will aim to give their franchise cornerstone a balanced roster, prioritizing athletic two-way players, lob-threat centers and, according to The Athletic, “a long-term secondary playmaker” (something they arguably already have in Reaves).
Facility Improvements to Come After G League Team’s Move
In addition to improvements among team personnel, the Lakers’ El Segundo practice facility will also get an upgrade. With LA’s G League affiliate moving into a 10,000-seat arena in Coachella Valley, the vacancy has opened the door for the Lakers to build biomechanics, recovery and movement labs in collaboration with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“Those things are super expensive to do and super thoughtful, but we’re doing the planning with [president of business operations] Lon [Rosen] and his team around that,” Pelinka said. “And that construction is going to happen this offseason. … It’s a full rebuild and retool, and it’s adding to the great things that are already here, which have led to success, but elevating it and bringing it to the next level.”
Pelinka added that the new developments will “hopefully” culminate around the NBA’s Summer League in Las Vegas.
Lakers Continuing to Build in the Doncic Era
Fans could sense changes were coming after the Lakers were sold to Mark Walter for $10 billion last June. But fueled by a disappointing exit and led by three complementary stars, the purple and gold are wasting no time building a front office, facility and roster made for sustained excellence.
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