RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesIt appears the Dodgerification of the Los Angeles Lakers will be short lived.
On Wednesday, news broke that Mark Walter, who also owns the Los Angeles Dodgers, is selling the Lakers to Bob Iger and Josh Kushner, reports Ramona Shelburne of ESPN .
The Los Angeles Lakers are being sold to American businessman Josh Kushner and Bob Iger for a record breaking price over $12 billion, multiple sources told ESPN. Kushner and Iger were involved in the expansion process in Las Vegas, but a stunning turn, they pivoted to make an…
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) August 12, 2026
Iger is the former CEO of Disney, while Kushner is a venture capitalist who is the brother of Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of President Donald Trump.
“As lifelong NBA fans, we are deeply honored for the opportunity to become stewards of the Los Angeles Lakers, one of the most iconic sports franchises in the world. We have immense respect for the leadership and vision of Jerry and Jeanie Buss,” Kushner and Iger said in a statement. “Our long-term commitment is to build on that foundation, compete at the highest level, and serve this extraordinary team, its fans, and the city of Los Angeles.”
Mark Walter’s brief tenure as Lakers owner
Walter had only been the majority owner of the Lakers since October, and in this near-year, the the team has undergone multiple major shakeups, not just related to the departure of LeBron James .
Executives from the Dodgers had moved over to the Lakers in similar roles, including president of business operations Lon Rosen .
They also had helped players, including star Austin Reaves, rehab from injury .
Mar 12, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers majority owner Mark Walter and team executive Jeannie Buss in attendance at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
It’s unclear what, if any, changes Walter has made to the Lakers will remain under the new ownership, but he sounded confident that the team is in good hands moving forward.
“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. 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,” Walter said in a statement.
The Lakers were indeed “an extraordinary investment” given that Walter purchased his stake just last year at a franchise valuation of $10 billion.
That rapid rise to a record $12.5 billion valuation came after “a stunning turn” from Iger and Kushner, who were involved in trying to get an expansion team in Las Vegas but “pivoted to make an aggressive offer to buy the Lakers from Mark Walter,” Shelburne wrote.
The post Mark Walter Selling Lakers for $12.5B in Stunning Move appeared first on LA Sports Report .
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