- The Los Angeles Lakers were sold for a record $10 billion dollars by the Buss family, to a group led by Mark Walter, which also owns the Los Angeles Dodgers.
- Lakers’ superstar Luka Dončić has given his opinion on the sale, but LeBron James has been quiet as of yet.
- Lakers’ fans hope Walter and his group can get a 19th title for the franchise.
The Los Angeles Lakers are arguably the most storied franchise in NBA history, and undoubtedly, one of the most historic in all of sports. It has been owned by the Buss family since 1979. They have won 18 titles, with 17 coming after the franchise moved from Milwaukee in 1960.
Buss died in 2013, turning ownership over to his children, led by daughter Jeanie. She sold majority control to a group led by Mark Walters for $10 billion. The next Lakers’ superstar, Luka Dončić, has chimed in with his thoughts on the sale.
Dončić “Looking Forward” to Meeting Walters, Nothing from LeBron James Yet
On Wednesday, June 18, it was announced that Jeanie Buss was selling majority shares to Walter, whose TWG Global is also the majority owners of the Los Angeles Dodgers. It is reported that the Buss family will keep over 15% of the team. The $10 billion amount is the largest sale in sports history.
On Thursday, Doncic, the Lakers’ superstar point guard, posted his thoughts on social media, claiming that he was “looking forward” to meeting Walters.
Doncic was traded to the Lakers in February for Anthony Davis, in arguably the biggest deal in NBA history. The Slovenian star averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.5 assists for the Lakers in 28 games. He added 30.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 5.8 assists in the playoffs as the Lakers were eliminated in five games by Minnesota in the first round.
Doncic was brought in to be the next in a long list of Lakers’ superstars. It started with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson for the “Showtime” Lakers in the 1980s. Then, there was Shaquille O’Neal and the late Kobe Bryant in the 1990s and early 2000s. LeBron James signed with the Lakers in 2018, and the team won a title in 2020. The Doncic trade was meant to for the guard to follow James, who turns 41 in December, and be a bridge to the next generation.
There have been no public comments from James since the sale was announced. But Johnson tweeted his approval of the deal. It should be said that Johnson and Walters are business partners with the Dodgers.
Will This Sale Help the Lakers Win an NBA Title?
Since Walters, Johnson, and the Guggenheim group took over the Dodgers in 2012, the team has made the playoffs every season, except for the first season. They’ve gone to four World Series since 2017, winning twice, including in 2024. They’ve shown no hesitancy to spend money, and the Dodgers are always near or at the top of the World Series odds.
They signed Shohei Ohtani to a 10-year, $700 million contract in December 2023. It was the largest contract in sports history until Juan Soto signed a 15-year deal worth $765 million in December 2024.
However, there is no salary cap in baseball. The NBA has a restrictive salary cap, so the Lakers will still have to follow rules. But if the Dodgers are any indication, the Lakers won’t be afraid to go into the luxury tax, as long as it means competing for a championship. If they make big moves this offseason, they could shoot to the top of the NBA championship odds.
As long as Doncic is on board for the future, and James is on board for the near future (keep an eye on the LeBron James next team odds), the Lakers should be near the top of the NBA for some time yet!
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