In a shocking turn of events, Mark Walter has agreed to sell the Los Angeles Lakers for approximately $12.5 billion.
Walter purchased the Lakers from the Buss family in June of 2025 for roughly $10 billion. No one expected him to pivot off that decision nearly a year later, but Josh Kushner and Bob Iger apparently made an offer that was too good to pass up.
"Owning the Los Angeles Lakers has been one of the great honors of my life -- an extraordinary investment, but what I will carry with me is the community, the fans, and a city that treats this team as family," Walter said in a statement. "I am grateful to Jeanie Buss, the Buss family, the players, and the staff for welcoming me into this chapter. The Lakers belong to Los Angeles, and I have every confidence the best is still ahead."
Iger, 75, is best known for his work as Disney's CEO. Kushner, on the other hand, founded Thrive Capital. He's also the brother of President Donald Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
With that being said, NBA fans can't help but wonder if the president of the United States had any impact on this Wednesday's sale.
However, a White House spokesperson told Front Office Sports that Wednesday's sale has "nothing to do with President Trump or his administration."
© Stephen Lew-Imagn Images.
Luka Doncic shares his thoughts on the sale.
Despite all the drama online, Lakers star Luka Doncic doesn't seem bothered by the team's latest change in leadership.
"Being a Laker means everything to me, and I'm excited to get back on the court and bring a championship to LA. I've gotten used to big changes over these last few years, but I know that no matter what, there is no limit to the potential of this iconic franchise," Doncic wrote to X. "I look forward to meeting Josh and Bob so we can get to work building something special in LA together."
The NBA's board of governors will need to approve this sale. As of now, there's zero indication that Iger and Kushner's offer will get rejected.
