Bob Iger, Joshua Kushner to buy Lakers from Mark Walter’s ownership group for $12 billion

What a difference a year makes.

Less than a year after Dodgers owner Mark Walter bought the Lakers for a record-breaking sum, L.A.’s iconic NBA franchise is now being sold to Joshua Kushner and Bob Iger for at least $12 billion, sources familiar with the matter but not authorized to speak publicly confirmed to The Times, $2 billion more than the reported number when Walter bought the team in October from the Buss family.

Advertisement

Kushner, the founder of venture capital firm Thrive Capital and younger brother of Jared Kusher, and Iger, Disney’s longtime chief executive officer, were recently looking into an expansion franchise as the NBA eyed new teams in Seattle and Las Vegas. Walter, who also owns the Dodgers, has been at the center of a federal loan investigation.

“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,” Kushner and Iger said in a statement to ESPN, who first reported the sale Wednesday morning. “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.”

Read more: Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner eye Las Vegas NBA expansion team bid

Jeanie Buss, whose family owned the Lakers for more than four decades, remained the governor of the Lakers despite the family selling the team to Walter last year. She remained a fixture at games, sitting courtside during the season, with Walter occasionally joining her or sitting courtside near the baseline. The NBA announced in October after the sale was finalized that Buss would be the team’s governor for at least five years.

Advertisement

“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 the statement to ESPN. “I am grateful to Jeanie Buss, the Buss family, the players, and the staff for welcoming me into…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/bob-iger-joshua-kushner-buy-150203005.html

Author :

Publish date : 2026-08-12 15:02:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.