Recent Los Angeles Lakers rumors give some insight to the organization’s power structure, as Linda Rambis is reportedly running things with Jeanie Buss.
There have been plenty of Los Angeles Lakers rumors in recent days with the team’s power structure undergoing an overhaul. The Los Angeles Lakers are still searching for their identity in the wake of Magic Johnson‘s sudden departure. Johnson’s resignation left a huge power vacuum in the Lakers front office.
With Magic Johnson out and coach Luke Walton fired, general manager Rob Pelinka is the last man standing in the Lakers front office.
Immediately after Johnson resigned, it was reported that Pelinka “will stay in his job and, if anything, his power will grow.”
However, it was unclear how the Lakers would proceed after the initial dust had settled since the Lakers had an enviable opportunity to conduct a league-wide search for a seasoned, top NBA executive to take over as Lakers president of basketball operations.
Instead, reports later came out that the Lakers brass “really, really want to keep” Pelinka and that he “has earned the favor of the people at the highest part of the organization, including Jeanie, regardless of what his reputation and what the reporting’s been over the last couple of days of what the outsiders of the league think of him.”
Many speculated as to who exactly, other than Jeanie Buss, consisted of the actual decision-makers within the Lakers organization now. Who is advising Jeanie now that Magic had quit? Who is backing Rob Pelinka?
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Today, on the Mason and Ireland Show on ESPN 710 AM, co-host Steve Mason shed some light and gave the following statement about Linda Rambis’ influence within the Lakers organization:
"“I’m glad somebody finally wrote (about Linda Rambis), because I never felt comfortable just saying Linda Rambis’ name. But Jeanie and Linda are together running the Lakers. They are running the Lakers. They are joined at the hip. That is Jeanie’s main advisor, lead advisor, director of special operations or whatever the heck it is. But she and Jeanie are operating in tandem.”"
Co-host, John Ireland, the voice of the Los Angeles Lakers, then offered his observation:
"“I will say this: I think Jeanie trusts Linda more than any other person there. I think she trusts Kurt (Rambis). I think Kurt is going to be involved in whatever new hire…he gets involved.”"
Mason and Ireland later joked that Linda Rambis is to Jeanie Buss what HBO’s Game of Thrones’ Tyrion Lannister is to Daenerys Targaryen: Rambis is Jeanie’s “Hand of the Queen.”
Linda Rambis is the Manager of Special Projects for the Los Angeles Lakers. On March 20, Bill Oram of The Athletic previously alluded to the extent of Rambis’ influence:
"“The brain trust Buss relies on within the Lakers is fairly small. It includes Johnson and Linda Rambis, Buss’ friend and the organization’s manager of special events whose title does not accurately reflect her influence.”"
Without Magic Johnson in the picture, Linda Rambis appears to be the most important voice in the Lakers organization next to Jeanie Buss.
It appears that with Pelinka running the Lakers coaching search and scheduling to meet with Monty Williams, Tyronn Lue, and Juwan Howard this week for the position, it is increasingly likely that the Lakers will not hire a president of basketball operations and simply elevate Pelinka to the top role.
It is now clear that Linda Rambis and her husband Kurt Rambis, a Showtime-era Laker great, have thrown their support behind Pelinka and will heavily influence the Lakers decision-making process moving forward.
The dust is starting to settle and we can now see the current Lakers power structure: Jeanie Buss, Linda Rambis, Kurt Rambis, and Rob Pelinka.