Report: Lakers director of analytics quits after team tries to demote him

The Los Angeles Lakers haven’t had the greatest reputation for embracing analytics these last few seasons, and that may continue for a bit longer.

ESPN’s Baxter Holmes reports Thursday that Lakers director of basketball analytics Yuju Lee has left the team after they attempted to demote him. Lee worked with the Lakers for four seasons, beginning as a consultant in 2012-13.

It has been a scene of mass organizational upheaval for the Lakers in the last several months, from Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka taking over in the front office for Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak to the nasty ownership battle between the Buss siblings that has played out in court. 

Even head coach Luke Walton recently admitted that it has been difficult to deal with all of the moving parts, and the restructuring process apparently still has yet to reach completion.