Lakers hire Rohan Ramadas as assistant GM for analytics

The Los Angeles Lakers have hired Rohan Ramadas as an assistant general manager, a move that brings a former aerospace engineer into the team's front office as it navigates a pivotal offseason. Ramadas, who most recently served as vice president of basketball operations and strategy for the New Orleans Pelicans, will report directly to Lakers president and general manager Rob Pelinka.

The hiring, confirmed Monday, is part of a planned expansion of the Lakers' basketball operations department. At his end-of-season news conference earlier this month, Pelinka outlined his intention to hire two assistant general managers. One position will focus on player scouting and evaluation, while the other, which Ramadas will fill, will concentrate on strategy, analytics, and salary cap management.

Ramadas brings a unique background to the role. Before his tenure in the NBA, he spent over a decade as an engineer, with his work involving projects for NASA, the U.S. Space Force, and The Aerospace Corporation. During his time with the Pelicans, he was known for implementing artificial intelligence and coded models to assist the front office. A source familiar with his work described him as a...