Latest fallout from shocking Lakers sale: Would LeBron have stayed? Chris Paul into front office?

The NBA — and Lakers fans — are still reeling from the shocking sale of the iconic franchise for the second time in 14 months this week. Nobody saw this coming, including the league office.

There’s been a lot of fallout from the news of the sale, here are some of the latest reports.

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Why is Walter selling now?

That remains the $12.5 billion question, but the answer is coming more into focus:

Money. It’s always about the money.

There are a lot of ideas and White House-tied conspiracy theories floating around about what motivated Walter to sell the Lakers 14 months after agreeing to purchase them, but the answer may be the most obvious one. Walter is facing twin federal and SEC investigations into potential fraud tied to the valuation of insurance companies he owns through Guggenheim Partners and TWG Global, and in the wake of that, needed cash fast to pay down debts.

Then Joshua Kushner called, and his venture capital firm Thrive had the cash (they were looking into getting an NBA expansion team in Las Vegas, plus they were the primary buyers in the now-scuttled FIFA plan to sell rights to the World Cup and other events, so they were ready to spend). It came together quickly.

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One other note: Walter Mark Walter could save roughly $425 million in taxes if the Board of Governors approve the sale and it goes through by November, according to tax calculations in an article at Sportico.

Would LeBron have stayed?

LeBron James left the Lakers this offseason in an amicable divorce, as the franchise reshaped itself around Luka Doncic’s playing style. Might LeBron have stayed in Los Angeles if the Lakers had different ownership? ESPN’s Dave McMenamin asked that of a source close to LeBron.

“Maybe. But that’s tough to answer. Communication could have been better [with Iger and Kushner, compared to with Walter]. Just a different relationship. But the basketball piece was the most important, so maybe not from that standpoint.”

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From my perspective, I don’t think new owners would have changed anything. First, the vibe that LeBron wasn’t returning was evident around the team by midway through the…

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Publish date : 2026-08-14 18:14:00

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