New Lakers Majority Owner Mark Walter Brings Dodgers Executives Farhan Zaidi and Andrew Friedman Into Advisory Roles

The Los Angeles Lakers’ new ownership era continued to take shape on Friday, as newly approved majority owner Mark Walter added two of Major League Baseball’s most respected architects to the franchise’s advisory group. Farhan Zaidi and Andrew Friedman, both key figures in the Dodgers' successful run, are now stepping into roles assisting the Lakers’ front office during the team’s ongoing leadership overhaul.

The move comes less than a month after the NBA officially approved Walter’s purchase, which transferred majority control from the Buss family in a historic $10 billion transaction. The restructuring signals a rapid departure from decades of internally operated management, replacing it with a multi-sport, analytics-driven structure under Walter’s umbrella company, TWG Sports, which now oversees the Dodgers, Lakers, and WNBA’s Sparks.

Zaidi becomes Walter’s strategic extension

Known as one of the most progressive executives in baseball, Farhan Zaidi arrives not as a temporary advisor but as a key strategist in shaping the Lakers’ next phase. Zaidi has already been working with the Sparks and now brings his analytical expertise to one of the NBA’s most decorated franchises.

His focus is expected to center on long-term organizational development, infrastructure, and transition planning — a stabilizing force as the franchise adapts to life after family-dominated leadership.

Friedman lends championship-caliber perspective

On the other side, Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations and a three-time World Series champion executive, joins with a lighter but impactful presence. Friedman has reportedly begun consulting with Lakers’ general manager Rob Pelinka, offering insight into sustainable winning models, overall structural support, and the process-oriented blueprint that has defined the Dodgers’ rise.

His addition underscores Walter’s intent: success shouldn’t be sporadic — it should be engineered.

Move follows major front office shake-up

The addition of Zaidi and Friedman comes just one day after longtime Lakers executives Joey and Jesse Buss were dismissed, ending decades of family-held control within basketball operations. Their exit marks a dramatic turning point in franchise history and reflects Walter’s commitment to resetting the Lakers’ internal hierarchy.

A new model for Los Angeles sports

Walter’s strategy with the Dodgers — combining data, methodical planning, and resource-backed decision making — has produced one of baseball’s most consistent contenders. That vision now extends across his entire sports portfolio, signaling a deep organizational alignment between the Dodgers, Lakers, and Sparks.

Even amid sweeping change, Jeanie Buss remains team governor, retaining her 15% stake and league authority for at least five more seasons. She now serves as the bridge between the Lakers’ storied past and a rapidly evolving new era.

With Zaidi and Friedman stepping into the building, one message has never been clearer:

For the Lakers, winning is no longer expected — it’s being engineered from the top down.