The Los Angeles Lakers are undergoing a significant transformation in their front office as new owner Mark Walter takes charge. To guide this process, they have enlisted the help of two executives from the championship-winning Los Angeles Dodgers: Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi. Both will assume advisory roles with the NBA franchise, marking the beginning of a new era of collaboration between sports.

Who Is Andrew Friedman? Career Background and Achievements

Andrew Friedman is the President of Baseball Operations for the Los Angeles Dodgers, a position he has held since October 2014. His journey in baseball management began with the Tampa Bay Rays, where he started as Director of Baseball Development in 2004. At just twenty-eight years old, he was promoted to Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager after the 2005 season, tasked with rebuilding a struggling franchise.

Under Friedman’s leadership, the Rays transformed into consistent contenders. He led them to their first postseason appearance and American League pennant in 2008, earning Sporting News Executive of the Year honors. The Rays made four playoff appearances during his nine-year tenure despite operating with one of the lowest payrolls in baseball. With the Dodgers, Friedman has built a powerhouse that has won three World Series titles in the past six years, including the 2020 championship.

Friedman’s net worth is estimated at approximately ten million dollars. His current five-year contract with the Dodgers, reportedly worth thirty-five million dollars, made him the highest-paid front office executive in baseball when signed. Before his baseball career, he worked as an analyst for investment firm Bear Stearns and as an associate at private equity firm MidMark Capital.

Who Is Farhan Zaidi? Career Background and Achievements

Farhan Zaidi currently serves as a special adviser to the Los Angeles Dodgers, bringing a unique background to sports management. Born in Canada and raised in the Philippines, Zaidi earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) before completing his PhD in Economics at the University of California, Berkeley. He began his baseball career with the Oakland Athletics in 2004 after being inspired by the book Moneyball.

In 2014, Zaidi made history when the Dodgers hired him as their general manager, making him the first Muslim and the first South Asian general manager in American professional sports. During his four years with the Dodgers, the team achieved the second-best winning percentage in baseball and won four consecutive division titles. The team also claimed back-to-back National League pennants in 2017 and 2018.

Following his success with the Dodgers, Zaidi became President of Baseball Operations for the San Francisco Giants in 2018. In 2021, he was named MLB Executive of the Year after leading the Giants to a franchise record of 107 wins. His expertise in analytics and creative roster construction has established him as one of the most respected executives in baseball.

Why Did the Lakers Hire Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi Now?

The hiring comes during the ownership transition from the Buss family to Mark Walter, whose ten billion dollar purchase of the team was approved on October 29. Walter created TWG Sports to oversee all his sports holdings, which now include the Lakers, Dodgers, and WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks. Bringing in trusted executives from his successful baseball operation represents a strategic move to implement a new structure.

This decision follows immediate changes within the Lakers organization, including the termination of Joey and Jesse Buss from their front office positions on Thursday. According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, Zaidi is functioning as Walter’s representative in helping with the transition. Friedman is consulting with the Lakers’ president of basketball operations, Rob Pelinka, providing another layer of experienced leadership.

The move represents a significant shift in how the Lakers’ front office will operate. With both the Lakers and Dodgers falling under the TWG Sports umbrella, the sharing of executive expertise across different sports franchises is a natural evolution under Walter’s ownership model.

What Is Their Connection to the Los Angeles Dodgers?

Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi have a successful history of working together for the Dodgers organization. Friedman hired Zaidi as the Dodgers’ general manager shortly after taking over as president of baseball operations in 2014. Their partnership marked the beginning of the Dodgers’ current era of sustained success.

During their four years working together directly, the Dodgers achieved remarkable consistency. The team posted a regular season record of 379 wins and 270 losses, a winning percentage of .584 that ranked second best in all of baseball during that span. They won four consecutive National League West division titles from 2015 through 2018.

The foundation they built continued to yield results even after Zaidi’s departure. The Dodgers won the 2020 World Series with a roster largely constructed during their time working together. Their collaborative approach, blending analytics with traditional evaluation, transformed the Dodgers into one of baseball’s model franchises.

Do Friedman & Zaidi Have Any Previous NBA Involvement?

Neither Andrew Friedman nor Farhan Zaidi has any previous experience working in basketball operations prior to their new advisory roles with the Lakers. This marks their first official involvement with an NBA franchise. Their entire professional sports background has been exclusively in Major League Baseball.

This cross-sport move is significant because it emphasizes the value of executive leadership and organizational building skills that can transfer across different sports. Both executives are known for building sustainable winning cultures through analytical approaches and strategic planning, qualities that new owner Mark Walter evidently believes can benefit the Lakers’ basketball operations.

Zaidi has already begun consulting with another TWG Sports property, having provided advice to the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks. This suggests Walter views his top executives as capable of contributing to sports franchises beyond their baseball expertise.

Reactions from NBA and MLB Communities

The news generated a significant reaction across social media as analysts and fans processed the unexpected crossover. The original breaking news tweet simply stated “LA sports on top,” capturing the excitement of some fans about the shared expertise between championship organizations. Many baseball commentators noted the respect both executives command within MLB circles.

The hiring of two baseball executives to consult for a legendary NBA franchise certainly breaks from traditional sports management patterns. However, given the recent front office changes and the dramatic ownership shift, many observers see the value in bringing in fresh perspectives from successful organizations, regardless of the sport. The coming months will reveal how their advisory roles specifically influence the Lakers’ basketball decisions.