What can the Lakers expect now that they have new ownership?
Welcome to Blue Heaven on Earth, Lakers. Dodgers majority owner Mark Walter is buying into basketball now, and if his work with the Dodgers is any indication, the Lakers are about to enjoy a golden age. How exactly did Walter pull it off?
First thing’s first: Hire the best of the best, starting with Andrew Friedman. After joining the team, Friedman not only went after stars on the field, he also filled the front office with a roster of experienced and intelligent staff. Walter’s Dodgers have also stayed on the cutting edge of analytics, thanks in large part to Friedman’s use of data.
And let’s be real, money doesn’t hurt. The Dodgers spend and don’t care one bit about the fees, taxes, or years involved in their contracts—something other team owners are less likely to embrace. While the NBA has stricter spending rules, it’s clear that Walter won’t be deterred from throwing money at a problem when it’s a viable solution.
Then there’s Mark Walter himself. The Dodgers’ owner is a quiet one, and he lets his people do their work. They are the best of the best, after all.
R.J. Anderson at CBS Sports takes a closer look at Walter’s strategy and how it can translate to the Lakers.
Dodgers Notes
As Rafael Devers makes his way from Boston to San Francisco, the NL West is getting a lot more challenging—and everyone in the division knows it, writes Andy McCullough at The Athletic.
Shohei Ohtani is on pace to score 160 runs this season, not too far off from Babe Ruth’s record of 177. Ruth and Lou Gehrig are the only others to score more than 160—and they each did it twice. Bradford Doolittle at ESPN breaks down these numbers and more.
It’s that time of year: Trade speculation is running rampant. What will the Dodgers do before the trade deadline, if anything? Bill Shaikin at the Los Angeles Times takes a look at the possibilities.