Lakers: LA Insider Discusses Linda Rambis' Role In Front Office

Bill Oram of The Athletic provided some insights on what role Linda Rambis plays

General manager Rob Pelinka's tenure with the Lakers has been full of highs and lows. Safe to say, this year was a low. The roster he assembled finished 11th in the West and failed to make the play-in tournament. To be fair to Mr. Pelinka, not every roster decision is wholly his own, despite what he might have stated in his press conference this past Monday.

Although he's the president of basketball operations, multiple reports have cited the fact that the Lakers "brain trust" of Jeanie Buss, Rob Pelinka, and the Rambi (Kurt & Linda Rambis) confer on most, if not all, major organizational decisions. Which includes, but is not limited to, roster management. Or lack thereof. 

After a catastrophic season, the brain trust, particularly Linda Rambis' role in said trust, has been a major topic of discussion amongst the media and Lakers fans. 

On an appearance on Locked On Lakers with the Kamenetzky brothers, The Athletic's Bill Oram, who has been on the Lakers beat for years, provided some additional insight on Linda Rambis' impact on the LA front office.

"Without knowing enough details, to give you the full answer that I would love to be able to give you, my understanding is she's involved. Whether that's making phone calls, whether that's being part of those conversations...whether it's Rob bouncing ideas off of she and Kurt [Rambis]. She's active in those discussions."

Oram also outlined how having a quartet of key decision makers, rather than Pelinka or Buss calling the shots, might not be inspiring much confidence from franchise superstar LeBron James.

"What the Lakers might view as a collaborative process, other people, outside of the organization, and now it kind of sounds like from LeBron's camp as well, view that as lacking structure."

Pelinka and the rest of the front office need to build a competitive roster this summer. That might start with reconsidering the process in which the organization makes personnel decisions. 

Clearly, whatever process they're using isn't working.