UPDATE 10:35 AM PT: The Lakers have made the hiring of Jason Rosenfield official and released a statement on the official team website:
“The Los Angeles Lakers have hired Jason Rosenfeld as Director of Basketball Analytics, it was announced today.
Rosenfeld and his basketball analytics department will work closely with the basketball operations staff, as well as the coaching and training staffs, to incorporate statistical analysis and quantitative strategy into the day-to-day operations of each front office department.“
The Los Angeles Lakers front office underwent a complete makeover in the middle of last season, as owner Jeanie Buss decided to part ways with her own brother Jim, who was serving as vice president of basketball operations, and long-time general manager Mitch Kupchak just a week before the trade deadline.
She replaced them with former Laker great Magic Johnson, who took over as president of basketball operations, and the former Agent of Kobe Bryant, Rob Pelinka, who took over the GM role.
With Johnson and Pelinka at the helm, there is a ton of optimism within the organization that they can turn around what has been the worst four-year stretch in franchise history.
It appears the Lakers are not done revamping their front office, as according to Zach Lowe of ESPN, they have made another hire:
The Lakers are hiring Jason Rosenfeld, the NBA's director of basketball analytics, to fill the same role in L.A., sources say.
— Zach Lowe (@ZachLowe_NBA) October 6, 2017
Jason Rosenfeld previously held the same role for the NBA, working for the league office for the past three years. He should help in the Lakers analytics department that has been criticized in previous years for being behind other organizations in terms of data analytics. Rosenfeld has also worked for the Houston Rockets, Charlotte Hornets and the Shanghai Sharks in China in the past.
The hiring was the second for the Lakers this week, as they reportedly hired former player Antawn Jamison to their scouting department.
With an added focus towards analytics, the Lakers players will have a lot more data thrown their way compared to years past, so it will be an adjustment for them but in the long-run could really work to their benefit.