The Los Angeles Lakers hired Tony Bennett as an NBA draft advisor, the franchise confirmed Tuesday, adding a second collegiate evaluation voice to a front office structure that has cycled through three head coaches since 2019. Bennett, who resigned from Virginia in October after fifteen seasons and a 2019 national championship, will report directly to general manager Rob Pelinka. The Lakers hold the No. 17 pick in the 2025 draft and owe no future first-rounders after the 2027 New Orleans obligation clears.
Bennett's arrival follows a $174M free agency spend last summer that brought in three rotation pieces but yielded a 23-19 record through mid-January. The Lakers' draft capital was previously managed by Jesse Buss, assistant GM and son of owner Jeanie Buss, alongside scout Chris Brickley. Bennett's role formalizes a third layer focused exclusively on college tape, a shift for a franchise that has historically leaned on agent relationships and veteran acquisitions. His Virginia teams posted a .716 winning percentage but produced only four NBA rotation players in a decade, a conversion rate below Duke, Kentucky, and Kansas.
The structural question is leverage. Pelinka operates without a traditional president of basketball operations, a vacancy since Magic Johnson's departure in 2019, which leaves final draft authority unclear when disagreements surface. Bennett's collegiate pedigree carries weight in June war rooms, but his lack of NBA scouting infrastructure means he will rely on the Lakers' existing video coordinators and G League pipeline. The franchise has missed on six of eight first-round picks since 2017, including Mo Wagner, Isaac Bonga, and Jalen Hood-Schifino, a hit rate that ranks 24th in the league over that span. Bennett's defensive scheme expertise translates cleanly to perimeter evaluation, but his offense at Virginia ranked 301st in tempo last season, a mismatch for a Lakers system predicated on transition after LeBron James and Anthony Davis offensive rebounds.
The timing matters for June negotiations. The Lakers are widely expected to pursue a secondary ball handler before the February 6 trade deadline, which would likely cost a future pick or young prospect. If they move the No. 17 selection now, Bennett's hire becomes a public relations placeholder rather than a functional addition. If they hold it, his evaluation of mid-major guards and international wings could shape a draft class thin on star talent after the top twelve. The Lakers' scouting department has shrunk from eleven full-time staffers in 2020 to seven today, per league sources, a cost-cutting measure that coincided with the team's luxury tax bill exceeding $185M in 2024. Bennett's salary was not disclosed, but NCAA head coaches transitioning to advisory roles typically command $400K to $700K annually, a fraction of an assistant coach's $1.2M average.
The front office's credibility with agents hinges on draft outcomes. Rich Paul, who represents Anthony Davis and manages Klutch Sports, has steered multiple clients away from Lakers workouts after first-round misses, per rival executives. Bennett's Virginia reputation carries weight with the college coaching fraternity, which could unlock access to underclassmen intel that the Lakers previously missed. His relationship with Duke's Jon Scheyer and North Carolina's Hubert Davis predates their current roles, a network advantage when predraft measurements and medicals circulate privately.
Watch whether Bennett attends Lakers games before the deadline or remains college-focused through March Madness. If he is courtside in Los Angeles, the role expands beyond draft prep into roster construction input. If he stays on the ACC circuit, it confirms a narrow June mandate. The Lakers' next scheduled draft workout is late May, and rival teams will track which agents send clients to El Segundo.
The takeaway
Bennett's hire adds college evaluation depth to a Lakers front office with a 25% first-round hit rate since 2017, but structural ambiguity remains around final draft authority under Pelinka.
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