Lakers hire former USC rocket scientist Rohan Ramadas as assistant general manager
The Sporting Tribune
Host · Writer
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — The Los Angeles Lakers made their first significant move of the offseason Monday, hiring former New Orleans Pelicans executive Rohan Ramadas as assistant general manager under president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka, according to ESPN.
Ramadas, who most recently served as vice president of basketball operations and strategy for the Pelicans, is expected to focus heavily on salary cap management, analytics, data and strategic innovation in the Lakers front office.
“More on the strategy side,” Pelinka said during the Lakers’ exit interviews last week when describing the role. “Cap, analytics and data.”
Ramadas brings one of the more unconventional backgrounds to an NBA front office.
A graduate of University of Southern California, Ramadas earned his bachelor’s degree in Astronautical Engineering from USC in 2011 before completing his master’s degree in Astronautical Engineering in 2012.
After graduating, Ramadas joined The Aerospace Corporation in El Segundo, where he spent more than a decade working on mission design and engineering projects. He worked for the company from 2012 until leaving in 2024 as a senior project engineer in mission design.
During much of that time, Ramadas worked less than a mile from the Lakers’ current practice facility in El Segundo before eventually making the jump to the NBA with New Orleans.
“He’s a literal rocket scientist,” a Pelicans source told ESPN.
Ramadas quickly rose through the Pelicans organization after joining the franchise in 2024 as senior director of analytics and innovation. By last season, he had been promoted to vice president of basketball operations and strategy, where he helped oversee the organization’s analytics infrastructure and strategic planning.
According to ESPN, Ramadas implemented artificial intelligence tools and coded analytical models to assist the Pelicans’ front office in player evaluation, roster construction and organizational decision-making.
The hire comes as the Lakers continue reshaping and modernizing their basketball operations department following back-to-back 50-win seasons.
Pelinka said the organization plans to further utilize the resources available through new owner Mark Walter while strengthening collaboration with the Lakers’ “brother-sister organization,” the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are also owned by Walter.
The Lakers are also expected to continue expanding their front office and plan to hire another assistant general manager focused on pro scouting, draft scouting and player development.
