Lakers Preparing Sweeping Front Office Overhaul Modeled After Dodgers

Oct 17, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers owner Mark Walter reacts after game four of the NLCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs against the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers are going through drastic changes over the course of the 2025-26 NBA season, with a change in ownership for the first time since Dr. Jerry Buss bought the team from Jack Kent Cooke in 1979 for $67.5 million.

The Buss family recently sold the majority stake in the storied NBA franchise to Mark Walter, who also owns the majority stake in the Los Angeles Dodgers. He's made that MLB franchise incredibly successful since taking over with his ownership group, resulting in 11 division titles and three World Series titles, including back-to-back rings over the last two seasons.

Lakers' Front Office Set for 'Significant' Changes

Walter appears ready to shake things up in the Lakers' front office, with significant changes on the horizon as the team is "expected to model" the Dodgers' front office, according to Dan Woike of The Athletic.

The summer presents an opportunity, armed with significant cap flexibility, to start building the necessary components of a modern front office and reap early benefits. League sources say that includes significant hires to a wide range of front-office positions this summer, with the Lakers expected to model their front office after the World Series-winning Los Angeles Dodgers.

“It’s going to be scary,” one rival executive said when asked about the potential of the built-out front office the Lakers are expected to assemble.

If Walter and company can replicate the way the Dodgers have been run over the past decade, the future looks very bright for the Lakers, especially with one of the best players in the NBA to build around in superstar guard Luka Doncic.

Lakers to Target Giannis Antetokounmpo This Summer

Jan 9, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) moves the ball against Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

As of right now, it seems like the plan is to go into the NBA offseason with the team's sights set on acquiring superstar big man Giannis Antetokounmpo, as Woike alluded to in his piece.

Neither would affect the Lakers’ 2026 plans. And those long-term plans have to at least somewhat include an Antetokounmpo pursuit. The team will have three first-round picks available on draft night to make their best offer.

If the Lakers' new ownership can make a blockbuster trade with the Milwaukee Bucks to acquire Antetokounmpo in the summer, while also being armed with a significant amount of cap space to use in NBA free agency, Los Angeles could be primed for a game-changing offseason.

Only time will tell how things pan out for the Lakers and the team's immediate future, but things definitely seem to be trending up in Los Angeles, with an owner dedicated to winning and having no problem paying a high price to get it done.