The Los Angeles Lakers are being sold again. Just 14 months after agreeing to buy the Lakers for a record $10 billion valuation, Mark Walter is selling the team to Bob Iger, the former CEO of Disney, and Joshua Kushner. The deal would value the Lakers at $12.5 billion, according to a source with knowledge of the sale who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss it publicly. Kushner has a minority stake in the Miami Heat and is the younger brother of Jared Kushner, son-in-law of President Donald Trump. The deal is a surprising development for one of the NBA’s biggest franchises, which was owned by Jerry Buss or his sons for more than four decades before Walter’s short-lived stewardship. the world,” Iger and Kushner said in a statement. “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.” The sale deal was first reported by ESPN on Wednesday morning. The NBA’s most confusing team of the offseason, Esfandiar Baraheni. For Iger, 75, buying the Lakers is a powerful answer to questions about what his public life would be like after Disney. Josh D’Amaro succeeded Iger as CEO of the company in March. He remains a senior advisor and board member, although those roles will end when his contract expires at the end of the year. He served two terms as CEO of Disney, the first from 2005 to 2020. After handing the reins to Bob Chapek, Iger remained with the company and returned to the CEO position when Chapek was fired in November 2022. During Iger’s first term as CEO, Disney bought Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm and most of the company. 21st Century Fox Iger also oversaw ESPN, although he left day-to-day management of the company to other executives. The Lakers are not Iger’s first investment in professional sports. In the summer of 2024, Iger and his wife, Willow Bay, dean of the USC Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism, acquired a majority stake in Angel City FC in a deal that valued the NWSL club at $250 million, which at the time was the highest valuation. ever made for a women’s professional sports team. Lakers fans, you couldn’t have two better owners. I have known Bob personally for over 40 years; he has always loved the Lakers and basketball and will bring championships back to Los Angeles — Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) August 12, 2026 The sale of the Lakers, which has not yet been finalized, must be approved by the NBA board of governors “Being a Laker means everything to me and I am. excited to get back on the court and bring a championship to Los Angeles,” Lakers star Luka Dončić wrote on social media. “I’ve gotten used to big changes these past few years, but I know that no matter what happens, there is no limit to the potential of this iconic franchise. I look forward to meeting Josh and Bob so we can work together to build something special in Los Angeles.” Thrive Eternal, for $4.2 billion. The plan imploded, but UEFA sent a letter dated July 31 to Kushner indicating that it is considering legal action, arbitration and/or regulatory complaints regarding the proposals. European soccer’s governing body demanded that all documents related to the plans not be destroyed. Walter, majority owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, called ownership of the Lakers as “one of the great honors” of his life and an “extraordinary investment.” He also has no plans to sell the Dodgers, according to a source with knowledge of the negotiations who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly. Walter is also the majority owner of the Los Angeles Sparks, but the Sparks are not part of the Lakers sale, according to a source with knowledge of the deal who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss details. a city that treats this team like family,” Walter said in a statement. “I am grateful to Jeanie Buss, the Buss family, the players and staff for welcoming me to this chapter. The Lakers belong in Los Angeles and I have every confidence that the best is yet to come.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the Securities and Exchange Commission have been investigating insurance companies owned by Walter. According to the Wall Street Journal, federal investigators became interested in Walter’s companies last year after an internal whistleblower complaint about how Walter’s asset management company, Guggenheim Investments, accounted for income it received from insurance companies.
