LAS VEGAS, NV - DECEMBER 16: A generic photo of the jumbotron before the Emirates NBA Cup Final game between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks on December 16, 2025 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The New York Knicks entered last season’s NBA Cup as a team with good-not-great odds of conquering it. They left it with the trophy and outright refused to raise a banner, but will ultimately find themselves hanging up two, not one, by the end of October. Ah, life.
Now, the defending NBA Cup champions know exactly what stands between them and another deep tournament run, ideally back-to-back tourney chips, after the NBA unveiled the full group-play schedule for the 2026 NBA Cup on Wednesday.
The NBA already suspiciously placed New York in East Group B back on July 1, alongside the Philadelphia 76ers, Indiana Pacers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat, with group play running from Oct. 30 through Nov. 27. The group winner, along with one Eastern Conference wild card, will advance to the knockout stage.
The Knicks will open group play on Oct. 30 in Philadelphia against a royally revamped 76ers team featuring LeBron James and C’s odd-man-out Jaylen Brown. They then travel to Indiana on Nov. 13 to face a Pacers squad expected to welcome back — but not much more — Tyrese Haliburton after he missed last season recovering from an Achilles injury.
New York’s final two games come at Madison Square Garden, beginning with a Nov. 25 rematch of last season’s Eastern Conference Finals against Donovan Mitchell and the Wannabe Contenders Cavaliers before closing group play on Nov. 27 against a Miami team that added Giannis Antetokounmpo and depleted its four-to-12 depth in the process.
Knicks’ NBA Cup Group Breakdown
Philadelphia 76ers (Oct. 30, Away): The Sixers added LeBron James and Jaylen Brown and look like the strongest opponent out there. Not only that, but they also boast franchise player Tyrese Maxey and an extraordinary young man in VJ Edgecombe.
Indiana Pacers (Nov. 13, Away): Yes, they will have Tyrese Haliburton back, but this Pacers team is lottery bound for me until they prove they were not a one-year fluke. And you bet I’m betting on my belief.
Cleveland Cavaliers (Nov. 25, Home): Eastern Conference Finals rematch after New York swept Cleveland. It will be good to extend the streak, won’t it?
Miami Heat (Nov. 27, Home): Now led by two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo following a blockbuster offseason trade, it’s unknown whether the Heat will be able to field any playable dude besides Giannis, Adebayo, and Wiggins — depending on how you see the latter.
Anyway, for what matters here, the NBA Cup knockout stage will begin with the quarterfinals on Dec. 4 and Dec. 5, followed by the semifinals on Dec. 8 and/or Dec. 9. This year’s championship game — mark it on your calendars if you’re a Knicks fan — is scheduled for Dec. 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis after the event moved from Las Vegas.
Full 2026 NBA Cup Schedule
Oct. 30: Knicks at 76ers
Nov. 13: Knicks at Pacers
Nov. 25: Cavaliers at Knicks
Nov. 27: Heat at Knicks
Dec. 4-5: Quarterfinals
Dec. 8/9: Semifinals
Dec. 11: NBA Cup Final
New York will enter the tournament with a chance to become the first franchise to successfully defend the NBA Cup title after defeating the San Antonio Spurs in last year’s championship game, and will have a shot at putting together three consecutive championship victories (a mini three-peat? three-peat lite?) for the first time since the 2000-2002 LA Lakers.
When the Buss family sold their majority stake in the Lakers 14 months ago — ending 46 years of being a family-run business — it didn't come out of nowhere. There had been speculation for years that as the deep pockets needed to run a competitive major American sports franchise grew, the Buss family had no choice but to consider this option, and Dodger owner Mark Walter already owned 27% of the team (and had first right of refusal on any sale).
NBC Sports had been told that Kushner and Iger were seriously involved in the bidding for a potential expansion team in Las Vegas (though not necessarily the frontrunner). That massive expense — an expansion fee expected to be at least $7 billion but likely higher — to get in the door and then start a new team may have given the partners pause.
Kushner reached out to Walter on Friday and the deal quickly came together during the weekend, all of it coming together in three days, Iger told The California Post.
Why sell the team now?
That is the $12.5 billion question. It also is at least part of the answer. Walter purchased the team 14 months ago at a valuation of $10 billion, so turning a tidy $2.5 billion profit in just more than a year is good work if you can get it.
However, it also may be that Walter needed cash. Walter is the CEO and invested deeply in Guggenheim Partners (which owned the Lakers as well as the Los Angeles Dodgers), and is also the founder and leads TWG Global, a holding company. Investigators at both the U.S. Attorney's Office in Manhattan and the SEC are looking into alleged failure to properly disclose billions of dollars in related-party private credit loans tied to Walter's companies.
Because Joshua Kushner is the brother and business partner of Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of President Donald Trump, there has been online speculation that the White House had a hand in forcing the sale. A White House spokesperson reportedly told Front Office Sports the sale had nothing to do with Trump or the administration.
Will the Buss family still be involved?
Yes. Walter is selling his majority stake in the franchise, and the Buss family will maintain its 15% share.
Under the agreement with Walter, Jeanie Buss stayed on as the official governor of the Lakers and was going to be in that role for at least five years. The new owners plan to honor that agreement, Iger told The California Post.
"We have enormous respect and appreciation for Jeanie, her father and what they've contributed to this franchise, and we have every intention to honor the agreement that was made between Mark and Jeanie. If things change, they'll change, but we're going into this with enormous respect and appreciation for who she is and what she represents in the organization."
Does this sale impact the Dodgers?
No. Walter and Guggenheim will maintain ownership of the two-time defending World Series Champions, and this sale does not involve the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks.
How will this impact the front office? The roster?
In the short term, nothing changes. The Lakers' retooled roster is largely set for this season — even though they have discussed trying to land wing Jonathan Kuminga in a sign-and-trade, if they can do it on their terms. At this point, there would be no bold moves to really make, even if ownership wanted to.
Also, Luka Doncic made it clear he remains committed to the Lakers.
Being a Laker means everything to me, and I’m excited to get back on the court and bring a championship to LA. I’ve gotten used to big changes over these last few years, but I know that no matter what, there is no limit to the potential of this iconic franchise. I look forward to…
Long-term it remains to be seen what this means. Walter had come in and started the "Dodgerification" of the Lakers organization, adding to the team's scouting and analytics staff and, like the Dodgers, pushing the franchise in a more analytically driven direction. Walter also made major changes on the business side of the organization, bringing in Lon Rosen as the team's new president of business operations, a role he had with the Dodgers.
"It's just premature to speculate at all about what we plan to do, because frankly, we haven't made any plans yet. Again, we go into this with an appreciation of who the Lakers are. And we just want to build value from today on...
"This is very new."
Who are Kushner and Iger?
Kushner founded Thrive Capital, a venture capital firm that invests largely in young tech companies such as Instagram and OpenAI, among many others. Kushner is worth an estimated $5.2 billion, according to Forbes.
Maybe more famously, Kushner is the younger brother of Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law. However, Joshua does not have a role in the White House, reportedly has differing political views from his brother, and is a much more private person. Kushner also has invested in NBA teams before and is currently a minority owner of the Miami Heat (shares he will have to sell to complete this deal).
Iger is well known to many Southern California for his many years — across two stints — as the CEO of The Walt Disney Company, the second of which ended earlier this year. He is a consultant with Thive.
Kushner may be most of the money behind the sale, with Iger likely being the face of the new ownership group.
What are the next steps?
The details of the sale itself need to be formally put together in the coming months, then that will be presented to the league, which will do its due diligence. Ultimately, two-thirds of the Board of Governors need to vote to approve the sale.
That likely is all a formality. This sale is going to happen.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 30: Georges Niang #20 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket against Jonathan Kuminga #00 of the Golden State Warriors in the fourth quarter at Chase Center on December 30, 2024 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors still have two roster spots remaining thanks to their offseason strategy of “LeBron James Or We’re Staying The Same.” One player who seems to fit what the Warriors look for an in end-of-the-bench signing is a veteran forward known as “The Minivan,” Georges Niang.
“Free agents who I'm told are drawing legitimate interest from Golden State for the Warriors' open roster spots: Georges Niang and Brandon Williams.” https://t.co/1hjVamMixF
The 33-year-old forward missed all of last season with an injury to his left foot, though neither the tanking Utah Jazz nor the tanking Memphis Grizzlies were interested in rushing Niang back to the court. He’s a 39.9% three-point shooter for his career, hitting over 40% of his shots behind the arc in six of his last seven seasons.
Niang was quite good in his last NBA season. In 2024-25, he averaged a career-high 9.9 points and 2.1 threes on 40.6% shooting in a season split between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks — he went over in the De’Andre Hunter trade, one the Cavaliers almost immediately regretted. Officially, he stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 230 pounds. He’s a below-average defender but not terrible but his role is to make catch-and-shoot threes, often from the corner.
That’s an archetype the Warriors have looked for in previous seasons. Omri Casspi, Jonas Jerebko, and Otto Porter, Jr. have all been that sort of player. Here’s what the Warriors presumably like about Niang:
Shooting
Veteran experience
Basketball IQ
Injury history
Short for his position
Has a podcast, “
Was alive when “Seinfeld” was making new episodes
The Dubs are also reportedly interested in Brandon Williams, the 26-year-old guard who averaged 13 points and 3.9 assists in 66 games with the Dallas Mavericks last season. Obviously Williams is a little young for the 2026-27 Warriors, and only shot 23.2% from three-point range last season. But advanced statistics do like his defense, and he averaged 0.9 steals last year.
Williams worked his way up through the G League to reach the NBA, after a knee injury cost him his sophomore year at Arizona and then the pandemic derailed the draft process in 2020 after he recovered. He’s 6-foot-1, so the Warriors can continue their dream of being the NBA’s shortest team even if they add Williams. The Mavericks seem uninterested in bringing Williams back, because they’ve acquired almost nothing but power forwards since Masai Ujiri took over the team, and apparently Cooper Flagg is Kyrie Irving’s backup now.
If previous reports are true, Niang and Williams may be competing for the same roster spot, as the Dubs are reportedly interested in adding a center as well. However, they already have Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and Charles Bassey available at the five, along with Draymond Green’s usual small-ball five work, so they might prioritize shooting and having another guy who could dribble. There’s also a vacant two-way contract slot at present, which could go to a player like Graham Ike.
Why is Niang called “The Minivan”? It’s because of an unimpressive dunk Niang delivered while a member of the Utah Jazz in 2018. After Warriors Summer League legend Joe Ingles razzed Niang about barely clearing the rim, Niang explained to reporters that while some players had “Ferrari engines,” he had a “minivan engine” which required several laps around the block just to warm up.
That was eight years ago, so you can imagine the level of athleticism Niang is working with now, especially after missing a season with an injury. Still, the Warriors aren’t adding him for his dunking ability!
There’s simply not a lot of options out there. They weren’t adding Russell Westbrook anyway, but he retired. Ben Simmons is preparing to do showcases in Australia. Bradley Beal is coming back from a broken hip. Gabe Vincent averaged 4.4 points and 1.4 assists last season. Signing Cam Thomas would make Steve Kerr retire. Ochai Agbaji is sort of bad at basketball.
All we know is that the Warriors are adding two players and those players are getting the minimum. Are those players going to be exciting? That depends on how exciting you consider a minivan to be.
Now, a fourth matchup in the month has been revealed.
The Lakers will travel to San Francisco to play the Warriors on Oct. 30 to kick off their NBA Cup Group Play slate.
It was already known that the Lakers would play the Warriors three times during October entering Wednesday. Charles Wenzelberg/New York PostThe Lakers will travel to San Francisco to play the Warriors on Oct. 30 to kick off their NBA Cup Group Play slate. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The NBA announced the Lakers’ four NBA Cup Group Play games on Wednesday:
Oct. 30: at Warriors;
Nov. 6: vs. Trail Blazers;
Nov. 20: vs. Kings;
Nov. 27: at Spurs.
The Lakers will also play the Warriors in preseason exhibitions on Oct. 6 at Chase Center and Oct. 13 in Las Vegas before hosting the Warriors for both teams regular season opener on Oct. 21.
The group play of the NBA’s fourth annual in-season tournament will run from Oct. 30 through Nov. 27, with the single-elimination knockout round being played from Dec. 4-9.
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The NBA Cup final will be played at Butler’s Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Dec. 11 – the first time it will be held outside of Las Vegas, which hosted the tournament’s first three finals.
The semifinals will be played in the team’s markets after the semifinals and the final were played in Las Vegas the previous three years.
The full NBA schedule will be released at noon on Thursday.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - NOVEMBER 07: Ryan Rollins #13 of the Milwaukee Bucks reacts after making a basket against the Chicago Bulls in the fourth quarter of the Emirates NBA Cup game at Fiserv Forum on November 07, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Bucks’ 2026-27 schedule is finally beginning to form. Over the past week, the Bucks have finalized their five-game preseason schedule and revealed their four-game NBA Cup slate.
Milwaukee will trot out a ragtag group of rookies and bubble players over eleven days of preseason action. The Bucks will play at Fiserv Forum on Oct. 5 against a heavily hyped, new-look Timberwolves squad and on Oct. 14 against the Bulls, while traveling to Oklahoma City, Charlotte, and Indianapolis for away action.
These preseason games will serve as a warm-up for Milwaukee before they pivot into a rebuilding phase led by rookies Brayden Burries and Nate Ament and new coach Taylor Jenkins. Younger, developmental players like Bogoljub Marković and Kasparas Jakučionis could also receive a lot of game time as they make their case for real, meaningful NBA minutes. We could even see glimpses of core players like Ryan Rollins, Kevin Porter Jr., and newcomer Tyler Herro.
Monday, Oct. 5 | vs. Minnesota Timberwolves | Fiserv Forum | 7 p.m. CDT
Wednesday, Oct. 7 | @ Oklahoma City Thunder | Paycom Center | 7 p.m. CDT
Sunday, Oct. 11 | @ Charlotte Hornets | Spectrum Center | 6 p.m. CDT
Wednesday, Oct. 14 | vs. Chicago Bulls | Fiserv Forum | 7 p.m. CDT
The Bucks have also confirmed four games on their regular schedule as they take on the Raptors, Magic, Nets, and Pistons in the NBA Cup. Milwaukee will aim to become NBA Cup champions for the second time in team history and earn a $530,933-per-player bonus with a championship win. However, their odds look slim; they’ll have to face three playoff teams and a younger, budding Nets squad and likely go undefeated to reach the knockout stage of the competition, but it won’t bar them from trying nonetheless. Milwaukee will play in the NBA Cup group stage throughout November.
Friday, Nov. 6 | vs. Toronto Raptors | Fiserv Forum | 7 p.m. CST
Friday, Nov. 13 | @ Orlando Magic | Kia Center | 6 p.m. CST
Wednesday, Nov. 25 | vs. Brooklyn Nets | Fiserv Forum | 7 p.m. CST
Friday, Nov. 27 | @ Detroit Pistons | Little Caesars Arena | 6:30 p.m. CST
What do you think Milwaukee’s NBA Cup record will look like? Who do you think will shine in the Bucks’ preseason games? Let us know your predictions and stay tuned for the Bucks’ official schedule release Thursday afternoon.
A detail view of a rally towel with the Emirates NBA Cup logo. This rally towel was a giveaway during the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup championship game in Las Vegas, NV. (Photo by Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
As the NBA continues to slowly roll out the schedule for the 2026-27 regular season, some marquee games and events have already been announced. One of those is the Emirates NBA Cup, the NBA’s in season tournament. We’ve known for a while what four teams would accompany the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference’s Group A, but now we know the when and the where of the games.
The Mavericks will see the Houston Rockets before the month of November ends, as Kevin Durant will bring his squad to Dallas on October 30th. Kyrie Irving will face off against old friend Kevin Durant for the first time in a couple years, as Irving missed all of last season recovering from the ACL injury he suffered in February 2025.
The second, and final, home game of Dallas’ NBA Cup group stage will be on November 6th, as they will welcome an improved Utah Jazz group to the American Airlines Center. This game will feature two of the best players in the NBA under the age of 20, as Cooper Flagg will face off with Darryn Peterson for what will likely be the first of many encounters.
Notably, both of these games are slated for a 7:00 p.m. local time tipoff in Dallas. Neither game is on national TV. This is different from the usual 7:30 p.m. slot that Dallas has occupied for as long as my 27-year-old brain can remember.
DALLAS, TEXAS – DECEMBER 23: Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks handles the ball as Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets defends during the second half at American Airlines Center on December 23, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The two road games Dallas has in the group stage will come on Thanksgiving week. Dallas will hit the road to Denver on Tuesday, November 24th. This game will be nationally televised on NBC and Peacock, with a 9:00 p.m. CT tipoff time. Lastly, the Mavs will head to Phoenix for a Black Friday clash with the Suns. That game is slated for an 8:00 p.m. CT tip.
Dallas has only made the group stage once in the rich history of the NBA Cup, coming in 2024-25 before, well, all hell broke loose. Dallas will likely not contend for the big trophy this year, but a fun run for the in-season crown would be a nice consolation. We shall see what the future holds!
The full 2026-27 NBA regular season schedule will be released on Thursday, August 13th. Mavs Moneyball will keep you covered through all 82!
More specifically, fans want to know whether these two new majority owners can return to the team to its former glory, given that six seasons since a NBA championship feels like a long time for the Lakers’ faithful.
Vanessa Bryant arrives for the 2023 Baby2Baby Gala on November 11, 2023, in Los Angeles, California. AFP via Getty Images
And it appears that Vanessa was subconsciously in sync with the Lakers’ new owners. She made several posts to her Instagram story on Tuesday, one day before the Lakers’ news broke, showing off a Disney-centric outfit.
“Disney Mom,” the post was captioned, showing Bryant rocking red and white Mickey Mouse ears.
Vanessa Bryant poses for a post to her Instagram story.Bob Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company, attends The Wallis Delivers: A Benefit Evening To Support Wildfire Recovery. Getty Images
This connects to the Lakers’ because Bob Iger was The Walt Disney Company’s CEO up until March of 2026.
Of course, Vanessa surely had no way of knowing that Iger was about to become the Lakers’ new owner, and she was probably just enjoying a day of Disneyland before her daughters started school. But the coincidence is still interesting nonetheless.
Bryant and the rest of Los Angeles fans will be eager to see how the team fares during the Iger and Kushner era.
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BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 30: Bob Iger, CEO, The Walt Disney Company attends The Wallis Delivers: A Benefit Evening To Support Wildfire Recovery at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on April 30, 2025 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Things move quickly in the basketball world, but you’d struggle to find something happening as fast as the selling of the Lakers.
There wasn’t even a whiff of a rumor about the franchise being up for sale, making this one of the most shocking deals in NBA history. But was Walter quietly shopping the Lakers to billionaires for months, negotiating this high sale number?
“We were involved in pursuing the new franchise in Vegas,” Iger said during an exclusive phone call with the California Post. “And while that happened, it was suggested to us that maybe Mark Walter would be interested in selling his stake in the Lakers. And we immediately decided that given the value of the franchise and the iconic nature of the team, that we would be really smart to pursue it. The deal came together in three days. It’s that simple.”
Iger and Kushner wanted to own an NBA team. And after dealing with the apparent bidding wars happening with the Las Vegas expansion, they opted to just buy a ready-made franchise in the Lakers. From their perspective, this sale makes sense.
According to one source with knowledge of the deal who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the agreement, Kushner reached out to Walter on Friday and the deal quickly came together over the weekend.
All of this happening in such a short period of time is mind-boggling. I mean, didn’t Walter have to think about it for a while? Sure, a $2.5 billion profit in less than a year’s time is great, but were the Lakers just a vessel for him to store his money?
It just seems like a historic franchise like the Lakers should’ve been treated with more care and consideration, not flipped like they are an investment property.
And yet, here we are with new owners for the second time in barely more than a year.
Bob Iger, former chief executive of Disney, is a lifelong NBA fan and has regularly attended Clippers and Lakers games. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
So instead of the Dodgerfication of the Lakers, we’re getting the Disneyfication of the Lakers.
Hakuna Matata?
Yes, it’s weird and distressing, watching billionaires play catch with our ballclubs.
For the Lakers, it really could end happily ever after.
Because we’re realizing you probably shouldn’t put all your proverbial eggs — or both of a city’s most beloved sports teams — in one guy’s basket. Especially if that one guy happens to be at the center of a federal loan investigation.
And if all it took, really, to get Walter to relinquish his ownership of the Lakers was $2.5 billion more than the reported figure he paid for them, then he wasn’t the right owner for the franchise anyway.
He wasn’t actually going to spin blue into purple and gold.
And Disney did give us some pretty great stories under Iger, didn’t it?
A native New Yorker, Iger, 75, grew up a Knicks fan. But he has also long been an L.A. basketball fan — though he has identified as a Clippers supporter. (Sorry, Clips, I think you’re down a fan.)
Lakers great Magic Johnson said he’s known Iger since the Showtime era, and gushed in an interview Wednesday with The Times’ Broderick Turner: “The great thing for Laker fans is Bob Iger loves basketball, loves the Lakers and I think that we couldn’t have a better person.
“Somebody that don’t know the Lakers, the tradition, that don’t know the city, that don’t know the passion that the fans have for the Lakers here in L.A.? Then I would have been like, ‘Oh man. They gotta learn all that.’
Bob Iger, then chief executive of Disney, addresses the media during the Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge media event in 2019. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
“Well there’s no learning curve for Bob.”
And Angelenos know Iger. We don’t know Kushner except for his family ties. But Iger, we do.
Walter isn’t selling the Lakers to some rich guys without any L.A. cred. He’s selling to a basketball fan whom we’ve seen courtside at Lakers games. Someone who joined us in sharing our heartbreak on social media when Kobe Bryant died in 2020, calling him “a friend and a fan of ours, full of life and taken from us too soon.”
We recognize Iger; he’s the Disney guy. We know him for his successful tenures as chief executive of that beloved company, which were highlighted by innovative storytelling, savvy investment and expansion — including into sports. We know he helped turn ESPN into a TV juggernaut.
Before the sale to Walter, the Buss family, which owned and ran the Lakers for 46 years, was having trouble keeping up in a booming NBA. Player salaries are capped, but ownership’s resources matter much in terms of creating a competitive infrastructure of coaches, basketball operations, medical and scouting staffs.
So we were looking forward to seeing sweeping improvements when Walter took control and provided the organization with a much-needed financial infusion. After all, his Dodgers have won three World Series crowns and clinched the National League West in 12 of 13 seasons since 2012, when he and his partners bought the club for a then-MLB record $2.15 billion.
But as of Wednesday morning, we were still looking.
We thought the new Lakers’ regime would get to work without a second to spare. Yeah, they added a second row of seats courtside. And laid off more than a dozen employees.
We expected they’d beef up their scouting department. But they moved the G League team from the South Bay way out to the Coachella Valley, so even the most ardent fans in L.A. will have a hard time keeping an eye on the team’s prospects.
We expected, under Walter, that the Lakers would give their basketball brain trust an obvious boost.
But they’ve only flirted with filling the job of second assistant general manager. And they failed to poach anyone from the league’s most innovative front offices like the Dodgers did when they hired Andrew Friedman. Their big get was Rohan Ramadas, from the … New Orleans Pelicans, a team that made the playoffs only twice in the last eight seasons.
Iger and Kushner can do better. They better do better.
Joshua Kushner, founder and chief executive of Thrive Capital, speaks onstage during the Big Bets panel at the Fortune Global Forum 2024. (Jemal Countess / Getty Images for Fortune Media)
I think they will.
This isn’t a fly-by-night proposition for Iger, who headed an effort by the Chargers and Raiders to build a stadium in Carson before Stan Kroenke built $5-billion SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.
In 2024, Iger and his wife, Willow Bay, who is dean of the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, acquired a controlling stake in the Angel City Football Club of the National Women’s Soccer League for $50 million, pushing its valuation to $250 million, a record for a women’s sports team.
Angel City hasn’t been winning, but they doubled the staff and wasted no time setting up a sizable new performance center at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks. The WNBA’s Sparks, which Walter has owned since 2014, are still waiting for their own practice facility, which is now finally under construction in El Segundo.
“As lifelong NBA fans,” Kushner and Iger said in a statement, “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.”
Iger knows as much as anyone about successfully stewarding an iconic brand.
Now he could be the Imagineer to bring the 17-time champion Lakers back to the happiest place on earth — the NBA’s mountaintop.
The Buss family sold the Lakers to Mark Walter in Oct. 2025 for a $10 billion valuation. And on Wednesday, news broke that Walter is selling the team to former Disney CEO Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner, who has a minority stake in the Miami Heat and is the younger brother of Jared Kushner, who’s President Donald Trump’s son-in-law.
It’s dizzying. It’s stunning. And it raises a lot of questions.
Mark Walters sits courtside during the Los Angeles Lakers’ 118-116 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. (Getty Images North America) Getty Images
Under Walter, we knew what was going to happen. The Lakers were going to become a well-oiled machine. After Walter and Guggenheim Baseball Management took over ownership of the Dodgers in 2012, they’ve won three World Series championships.
The Lakers had already begun making drastic changes.
They revamped their front office. They wanted to be on the cutting edge of data and analytics for the draft and free agency. They were building a biomechanics lab, new movement labs and a recovery lab.
Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka called it “a full rebuild and retool” in May after Los Angeles was swept out of the second round of the playoffs by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Under Walter, the NBA hired Dodgers chief marketing officer Lon Rosen as president of business operations. Dodgers executives Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi were acting as Lakers advisors.
They had one of the top braintrusts in sports backing them. They had the deep pockets and the seemingly limitless resources of Walter and Co. behind them. They had the playbook for success.
Uncertainty faces Lakers
Now what?
Who are Iger and Kushner?
“We’re fans,” Iger told Khobi Price of the California Post. “We respect the value that’s been created, both on the court and off.”
Okay, so what’s their plan?
“Our intention is to build this great franchise from a position of strength in many respects as an organization,” Iger told The Post. “We’re smart enough to know what we know and what we don’t know. I think it’s just premature to speculate at all about what we plan to do, because frankly, we haven’t made any plans yet. Again, we go into this with an appreciation of who the Lakers are. And we just want to build value from today on. That’s all.”
ESPN’s Joshua Kushner and Disney’s CEO Bob Iger are all smiles as Novak Djokovic of Serbia plays against Taylor Fritz of the USA during the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queen, New York, on Tuesday, September 2, 2025. (JASON SZENES) JASON SZENES/ NY POST
“It was suggested to us that maybe Mark Walter would be interested in selling his stake in the Lakers,” Iger told The Post. “And we immediately decided that given the value of the franchise and the iconic nature of the team that we would be really smart to pursue it.”
It was fast. It was unexpected. And now Lakers fans are kind of left in the lurch. Do Iger and Kushner intend to make sweeping changes? Are they going to keep the status quo? Under Walter and Co., it was clear the Lakers had a distinct plan. They knew it. We knew it. It created a sense of comfort. Sure, the Lakers had lost their family-owned charm after being sold by the Buss’s, who had transformed them into one of the greatest organizations in sports. But hey, at least they were owned by a guy who had the blueprint for winning.
That was comforting.
Especially considering the Lakers’ current state. Since hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy in 2020, the Lakers have won only three playoff series. They’ve had three coaching changes in six years. They’ve only won one title in the last 16 years.
That’s not good enough in Los Angeles. Not for a ravenous fanbase that has been spoiled by Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant, who each won five championships for the Lakers. Not in a city filled with glitz and glam that only pays attention to winners.
“Laker fans, you couldn’t have two better owners,” he tweeted. “I’ve known Bob personally for over 40 years – he has always loved the Lakers and basketball and he will bring championships back to LA.”
So, what’s next for the Lakers?
Here’s what we know: Jeanie Buss will apparently remain governor for at least another four years, as was agreed upon when she sold the team to Walter.
Jeanie Buss, left, and Mark Walter attend a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, in Los Angeles, California. (Getty Images North America) Getty Images
But while Iger told the Post he has “every intention to honor the agreement,” there was a caveat.
“If things change, they’ll change,” Iger told The Post. “But we’re going into this with enormous respect and appreciation for who she is and what she represents in the organization.”
Iger has already reached out to Buss and Lakers coach JJ Redick, whom he has known since Redick’s playing days with the LA Clippers.
As of this morning he hadn’t yet connected with Luka Doncic, who must be reeling after thinking he was going to spend his entire career in Dallas before being traded to the Lakers in February 2025 — and then experiencing two ownership changes.
He weighed in on the monumental move on X on Wednesday.
“Being a Laker means everything to me, and I’m excited to get back on the court and bring a championship to LA,” Doncic wrote. “I’ve gotten used to big changes over these last few years, but I know that no matter what, there is no limit to the potential of this iconic franchise. I look forward to meeting Josh and Bob so we can get to work building something special in LA together.”
Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts after scoring during the first half at Barclays Center on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, in Brooklyn, NY. (Corey Sipkin) Corey Sipkin for NY Post
Doncic isn’t the only person with eyes wide open.
Laker fans have no tolerance for mediocrity, which has infected the Lakers’ organization like a invasive fungus since they won their last title.
LeBron James left last month in free agency. The Lakers are now Doncic’s team. And the front office spent this summer trying to put the proper pieces around him so they could climb the mountaintop once again, including signing center Walker Kessler.
But now another major earthquake has struck. The foundation has been rocked. There’s rubble to sort through. There’s chaos. What’s next for the Lakers? Can they be great again?
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - APRIL 19: Haywood Highsmith #7 of the Phoenix Suns dribbles the ball during the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder during Round One Game One of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on April 19, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Zach Beeker/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
So you thought the Phoenix Suns were done for the offseason, did you? Well, surprise surprise. They’re not done making moves.
On Wednesday, the Suns waived Haywood Highsmith, according to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto.
The Phoenix Suns have waived Haywood Highsmith, league sources told @hoopshype. He was partially guaranteed $1 million of his $3 million salary for the 2026-27 season. The 3-and-D forward has averaged 5.4 points on 38% 3-point shooting and 3.1 rebounds in six NBA seasons.
Phoenix acquired Highsmith last February after he signed with the team as a free agent following his release from the Brooklyn Nets earlier in the month. He appeared in seven games for the Suns, averaging 5.4 points in 91 total minutes. Highsmith had previously missed significant time after undergoing surgery for a right knee meniscal tear last August.
Highsmith was set to make $3 million next season, but the contract was not guaranteed. He would have earned the full amount if he had remained on the roster through January 10, 2027.
Waiving Highsmith opens up a roster spot for the Suns. We don’t yet know whether Phoenix already has somebody in mind, which prompted the move, or whether the organization simply values the flexibility that comes with keeping a spot open. It’s something the Suns have done before, leaving a roster spot available while waiting to identify the right player to eventually fill it.
Either way, Haywood Highsmith is no longer a member of the Phoenix Suns. The 29-year-old will now look for his fourth NBA team.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 02: Brandin Podziemski #2 of the Golden State Warriors celebrates with Draymond Green #23 after a basket in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Chase Center on April 02, 2026 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Warriors fans and fans across the country.
The Golden State Warriors limped into the play-in tournament in 2025-26, and were eliminated before the playoffs. But in 2024-25? They made quite a run, and arguably the only thing that kept them from making the Western Conference Finals was an injury sustained by Steph Curry.
The Dubs are basically running it back this year. They came up short in their pursuit of LeBron James, and have yet to add a single player from outside the organization, though that will likely change between now and Opening Night. So, how will the Warriors fare this season? Give us your predictions!
They’re not going to like comments Iger made about his NBA fandom during a 2021 interview on “The Old Man and The Three” podcast, which have resurfaced on Reddit on Wednesday.
Follow the latest on the multibillion-dollar LA Lakers sale:
Bob Iger greets Kobe Bryant at a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center on April 5, 2016. GC Images
When speaking about his relationship with Chris Paul and his involvement in the notorious NBA bubble in Florida during the COVID 2020 season, Iger said, “I am a Clippers fan. Having moved from New York to Los Angeles back in 2000, and being a big NBA fan, I needed a team to root for. And in my youth, the Lakers were a big rival of the Knicks, the team I grew up rooting for. So I couldn’t root for the Lakers very easily; it just was not in my DNA.
“So I decided to adopt the Clippers, which was actually a good thing, because their seats were a lot cheaper than the Lakers,” Iger added.
Bob Iger attends a basketball game between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Oklahoma City Thunder at Staples Center on November 18, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. Getty Images
But it doesn’t matter now, since Iger will have any seat in the house he wants for the team he now owns. One would also assume (or at least hope) that his fandom will flip from the Clippers to the Lakers as well, if it hasn’t already.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - DECEMBER 20: Vj Edgecombe #77 of the Philadelphia 76ers talks to Cooper Flagg #32 of the Dallas Mavericks at Xfinity Mobile Arena on December 20, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. The 76ers defeated the Mavericks 121-114. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The general public will have no shortage of opportunities to watch the Philadelphia 76ers play basketball this season (at least on television, in-person viewing may be much harder). We previously detailed how the Sixers would take part in the NBA’s opening night and Christmas Day slates, with their home opener against Cleveland also nationally televised. On Wednesday, two more nationally-televised holiday games were revealed to be on the schedule.
The Sixers will play on MLK Day, January 18, at 2:30 pm ET in Atlanta, and on Presidents’ Day, February 15, at 2:30 pm ET in Dallas. Both games will be on NBC.
The Hawks should be an intriguing team to watch in their first full year removed from the Trae Young era. Jalen Johnson is coming off a Third Team All-NBA campaign and the organization made some interesting acquisitions during the offseason like Lu Dort, Ryan Nembhard, and Aaron Wiggins. Meanwhile down in Texas, I’m not going to pass up an opportunity to tune into Cooper Flagg’s second season and I’m curious about the roster constructed by new President of Basketball Operations Masai Ujiri led by former Michigan head coach Dusty May.
Of course, we have to get used to this new reality that the Sixers are the Main Attraction. Casuals are tuning in to watch LeBron James in a Sixers uniform and Jaylen Brown metaphorically stomp all over the analytics nerds across the interwebs. There won’t be a week that goes by this season that won’t have some compelling Philadelphia-related storyline to unwrap. Strap in, folks, it should be a fun one.
CLEVELAND, OH - MARCH 9: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers runs onto the court before the game against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 9, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Cleveland Cavaliers are right around the corner. Key dates for the 2026-27 NBA season have been unveiled ahead of the full schedule being released tomorrow. For now, we know some major games to mark your calendar for.
Let’s start with their first game of the season.
Cleveland opens their season on the road against the Philadelphia 76ers on October 22nd. They’ll then play LeBron James at home for the first time in a 76ers uniform just a few weeks later on November 6th. The Cavs will waste no time welcoming the King back to the East. They’ll have two chances to make a statement before Thanksgiving.
The Cavs won’t play on Christmas this year, but they will play on Martin Luther King Day once again. They host the Detroit Pistons at noon. Last season, Cleveland faced the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder on MLK Day.
A few other dates have been revealed for Cleveland. We now know the full details of their NBA Cup schedule, including when and where each game of their group stage will be played.
The Cavs begin their NBA Cup journey on November 6th against the 76ers. Raising the stakes of their second game against the 76ers.
Next, they head to Miami on November 13th to play Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Heat. A week later, Cleveland will host the Indiana Pacers, a team that will be rejuvenated by the return of Tyrese Haliburton. The star point guard missed all of last season with an Achilles injury.
Finally, the Cavs will be on the road against the New York Knicks on November 25th for their final game of the NBA Cup Group Stage. The Knicks have gotten the best of Cleveland at every turn. This will be an opportunity for the Cavs to flip the tables.
All things considered, that’s a brutal group to be a part of for the Cup.
To recap, here are the dates that we have confirmed:
October 22 at PHI (Season Opener)
November 6th vs PHI (NBA Cup)
November 13th at MIA (NBA Cup)
November 20th vs IND (NBA Cup)
November 25th at NYK (NBA Cup)
January 19th vs DET (MLK Day)
There will be no Christmas Day game for the Cavs this season.
The NBA plans to release the full schedule tomorrow. That will give us all time to plan ahead and get ready for another season of Cavs basketball.
