Lakers look to model team after back-to-back champion Dodgers - ESPN

LOS ANGELES — The 17-time NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers are working with the back-to-back World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers on their basketball affairs.

Rob Pelinka, the Lakers' president of basketball operations and general manager, detailed the working relationship before the Lakers played the Golden State Warriors on Saturday, speaking to reporters for the first time since Dodgers owner Mark Walter's purchase of the Lakers at a $10 billion valuation became official in late October.

"[It's] been great to have sort of outside allies and advocates looking at the Dodgers and the success they've had and what they've built over there, and being able to tap into a person like Andrew Friedman for best practices," Pelinka said.

Friedman, 49, is the Dodgers' president of baseball operations and joined the ballclub in 2014, shortly after Walter bought the team from Frank McCourt in 2012.

«He's so incredibly smart and has done such an amazing job bringing championships to the Dodgers,» Pelinka said. «So just to have another head of another team that you can, whether it's a roster move, whether it's a staff move, just someone that you can talk to has been an incredible resource.»

Beyond his rapport with Friedman, Pelinka said that he, Walter and Lakers acting governor Jeanie Buss have discussed the ways in which Walter can further support the team, starting this summer. Buss will continue to be acting governor for at least four more seasons after 2025-26, according to the Lakers.

«When Mark bought the team, Jeanie and I did a really deep dive with him on sort of the areas he wants to grow and move into and get aggressive,» Pelinka said. «Looking at the Dodgers and how they built it out has been a great sort of example