The Lakers will hire Heat executive Eric Amsler as their second assistant general manager, sources tell ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link). He joins Rohan Ramadas, who was hired in May, as assistants under GM Rob Pelinka.

Amsler served as vice president of player personnel in Miami and was general manager for the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the team’s G League affiliate, Dave McMenamin of ESPN writes in a full story on the move. Amsler joined the Heat as an intern in 2004 and was promoted to several positions involving scouting, personnel and G League operations.

Pelinka said at his end-of-season press conference that the Lakers had plans to hire two assistant general managers – one to specialize in pro and draft scouting as well as player development, which will be Amsler’s duties, and another to focus on strategy, particularly analytics and the salary cap, a role that Ramadas is already filling.

McMenamin points out that it’s the Lakers’ first major front office move since Mark Walter agreed to sell the team to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger last month.

Amsler was named G League Executive of the Year for the 2023/24 season after the Skyforce made their second straight appearance in the Western Conference semifinals, Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel notes in a subscriber-only piece. His roles with the organization included scouting and information coordinator (2005-07), scouting and player personnel coordinator (2007-14), director of scouting operations (2015-18), director of scouting/assistant director of player personnel/assistant GM for the Skyforce (2018-19) and then GM of the Skyforce (2019-23) before being promoted to his current position.

Winderman states that it’s unusual for a long-tenured executive like Amsler to leave the Heat. Team president Pat Riley is preparing for his 32nd year with the organization, as is vice president of basketball operations and assistant general manager Adam Simon. General manager Andy Elisburg is entering his 30th season.

Winderman suggests that former Heat player Keith Askins, who has been with the organization in some capacity for 36 years, could take over Amsler’s duties. Askins has overseen the team’s scouting department for the past 12 years and is currently listed as director of college and pro scouting while serving as assistant GM of the Skyforce.