The Los Angeles Lakers have added another member to their basketball operations department, hiring former New Orleans Pelicans basketball analytics coordinator Dominic Samangy as a basketball analyst, according to Benjamin Royer.
The move continues the Lakers’ ongoing investment in analytics as the organization builds around a roster led by Luka Doncic. Samangy joins Los Angeles after working in New Orleans’ analytics department, bringing additional experience in data evaluation, player analysis, and decision support.
The Lakers finished the 2025-26 regular season with a 53-29 record, earning the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference. They ranked behind the Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs, and Denver Nuggets in the West standings before defeating the Houston Rockets in six games in the first round. Their postseason ended in the conference semifinals, where Oklahoma City swept Los Angeles 4-0.
Analytics played a significant role in evaluating a roster built around Doncic’s offensive production. The 27-year-old averaged 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 8.3 assists in 64 games, earning All-NBA First Team honors and finishing fourth in MVP voting. He shot 47.6% from the field, 36.6% from three-point range on 10.8 attempts per game, and posted a 56.3% effective field goal percentage.
James, at age 41, remained a major contributor, averaging 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists in 60 games while making his 22nd All-Star appearance. Austin Reaves also provided secondary creation, averaging 23.3 points and 5.5 assists across 51 games.
Samangy’s arrival comes after a season where the Pelicans struggled to a 26-56 record and missed the playoffs.
