The Los Angeles Lakers just sold for an absolutely insane $12.5 billion to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger, setting a new record for the most expensive professional sports franchise ever. This wasn’t some drawn-out saga, either: current Dodgers owner Mark Walter bought the team only 14 months ago for $10 billion, meaning he just flipped it for a cool $2.5 billion profit. Talk about a quick turnaround!
A Staggering Price Tag and a Storied Past
It’s wild to think about that $12.5 billion figure. To put it in perspective, this new Lakers valuation absolutely blows away other massive sales in recent memory. We’re talking about a price tag that crushes the Commanders at $6.05 billion, the Broncos at $4.65 billion, and even the Suns/Mercury combo at $4 billion. This kind of money changes the game for what owners will expect. Mark Walter, who also owns the MLB’s Los Angeles Dodgers, the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks, and the entire PWHL, certainly knows how to make a deal. He purchased the Lakers in June of 2025, and now, just a little over a year later, he’s letting it go to Kushner and Iger, the former CEO of Disney. This historic franchise had been in the Buss family’s hands since Dr. Jerry Buss bought the team from Jack Kent Cooke way back in 1979, with that family turning the Lakers into one of the league’s most popular and successful teams. They have 17 championships under their belt, with 12 of those won in Los Angeles, trailing only the Boston Celtics’ 18 titles in NBA history.
New Faces in the Suite, Familiar Pressure on the Court
Josh Kushner, who is the younger brother of President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, was previously a minority owner for the Memphis Grizzlies and even picked up a less than 5% stake in the Miami Heat last year. His wife, supermodel Karlie Kloss, also has a limited partnership stake in the WNBA’s New York Liberty. Both he and Iger were apparently eyeing an expansion franchise in Las Vegas before pivoting to take control of an iconic team. They released a statement saying, “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. 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.” That’s a lot of respect, but now the real work begins, especially with the team undergoing significant changes on the court too. LeBron James left in free agency after eight seasons to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers, leaving Luka Dončić to lead the charge. With Austin Reaves and recently acquired big man Walker Kessler alongside him, Dončić has the monumental task of getting the Lakers back into title contention.
Since their last championship in 2020, the Lakers have only won three playoff series and advanced past the second round just once. They face serious questions about their depth, not to mention the powerhouse Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs dominating the top of the Western Conference. With their current odds sitting at +2500 per FanDuel, ranking them sixth best to win the West, it’s clear Dončić, Reaves, and Kessler have a massive challenge ahead of them. The ownership might have changed, but the goal remains the same for the purple and gold: win a championship.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
Leave a Reply