Luka Doncic is the LA Lakers' star player [Getty Images]
The Los Angeles Lakers are to be sold for a reported record-breaking $12.5bn (£9.3bn) - less than a year after Mark Walter took a majority stake in the NBA franchise.
Josh Kushner, the brother of US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared, and former Disney chief executive Bob Iger are buying the controlling interest in one of the world's most iconic sports teams.
Walter bought his share, reportedly worth an estimated $10bn (£7.45bn) - a previous record - from the Buss family in a deal that was unanimously approved by the NBA Board of Governors in October 2025.
Kushner and Iger said in a statement: "As lifelong NBA fans, we are deeply honoured 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."
Jerry Buss bought the Lakers in a $67.5m deal (£50m) in 1979 that included the Los Angeles Kings hockey team and a Los Angeles arena, known as the Kia Forum.
After he died in 2013, ownership was passed to his six children in a Trust before a deal was completed with Walter, who also owns a stake in the LA Dodgers with Todd Boehly.
"Owning the Los Angeles Lakers has been one of the great honours of my life," said Walter.
"It has been an extraordinary investment, but what I will carry with me is the community, the fans, and a city that treats this team as family.
"I am grateful to Jeanie Buss, the Buss family, the players, and the staff for welcoming me into this chapter. The Lakers belong to Los Angeles, and I have every confidence the best is still ahead."
The LA Lakers have 17 NBA titles - one less than the record of 18 held by the Boston Celtics.
The deal involving Kushner comes after he was part of the recent controversy surrounding Fifa president Gianni Infantino and an aborted plan to sell off stakes in the governing body's competitions to private investors.
The Lakers lost LeBron James, the highest points scorer in the history of the NBA, in the summer as the 41-year-old joined the Philadelphia 76ers.
That left Luka Doncic, who arrived from the Dallas Mavericks in February 2025, as the team's main star and he welcomed the takeover.
"Being a Laker means everything to me, and I'm excited to get back on the court and bring a championship to LA," he said in a message on social media.
"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."
Josh Kushner’s last name might sound familiar due to his familial connections. He is the younger brother of Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law.
Although Josh is the son of prominent real estate developer Charles Kushner, he chose to forge his own path outside the family’s real estate empire. Instead, he has focused on innovative ventures in technology and healthcare.
Kushner is the founder and managing partner of Thrive Capital, a technology-focused venture capital firm he launched in 2009. Thrive Capital has been an influential investment firm, backing high-profile startups such as Instagram, Spotify and Slack, among others.
In addition to his achievements in venture capital, Kushner co-founded and currently serves as vice chairman of Oscar Health, a technology-driven health insurance company. The company primarily offers individual and family health plans through the Affordable Care Act marketplace.
Josh’s brother, Jared Kushner, is known for his roles in both politics and business. He is part of Trump’s administration as a senior advisor and is married to Trump’s daughter, Ivanka.
The Los Angeles Lakers are being sold for a record $12.5 billion less than two years after Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner and TWG Global CEO Mark Walter bought the team from the Buss Family. The deal was first reported by ESPN.
The sale to businessman Joshua Kushner and former Disney CEO Robert Iger would mark the highest amount ever paid for a North American sports franchise, surpassing the $10 billion that Walter paid for the Lakers. — Scooby Axson
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 11: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs posts up against Draymond Green #23 of the Golden State Warriors in the first half at Chase Center on February 11, 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 Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s day two of the NBA’s schedule drop for the 2026-27 season (why is this necessary?), with the Emirates NBA Cup groups being announced today. The Spurs wound up in Group C, along with the Lakers, Warriors, Kings and Trail Blazers. After seemingly always ending up in the “Group of Death” in past years, this is a relatively friendly one that the Spurs should be favored to advance out of.
The groups are set and the schedule is OUT 👀
Starting October 30, all 30 teams will compete for the @emirates NBA Cup with 8 teams advancing out of groups into the knockout rounds, with the Championship held at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, December 11!
As a reminder, each team will play each other once during the regular season between October 30 and November 27, and the winners of each group will advance, along with a wildcard team from each conference. As always, the quarterfinals and semifinals count as regular season games, while the final does not count in any way other than towards the 65-game rule. (Defensive Player of the Year Victor Wembanyama thanks you!) The 22 non-qualifying teams play two standard regular-season games during the knockout rounds to fulfill the 82-game schedule, and losers of the quarterfinals play one regular season game.
A new change this season is like the quarterfinals, the semifinals will be hosted by the higher-seeded team, while the Final will take place at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on December 11. In the past, the semifinals and final were held in Las Vegas, but relatively low attendance due to short turnaround notice for fans to travel played a role in moving the event back to home arenas.
Last year was the first time the Spurs won their group and advanced, and they surprisingly beat the Lakers in Los Angeles in the quarterfinals without Victor Wembanyama to advance to Vegas. Wemby then returned from his 12-game absence due to a calf strain but played limited minutes off the bench as the Spurs got their first of what would become three surprising beatdowns of the Thunder across 12 days before falling to the Knicks in the final: a surprising precursor to what would come in the playoffs. (This was also the first time the Cup winner went on to win the NBA Championship.)
Below is the Spurs’ Cup schedule. You can also click here to get more information about the Cup itself. Are you starting to like this event now that the Spurs are more competitive?
Friday Nov. 13 — vs. Golden State Warriors, 8:30 PM CT on Prime
Wednesday Nov. 25 — at Portland Trail Blazers, 9:00 PM CT on ESPN
Friday Nov. 27 — vs. Los Angeles Lakers, 9:30 PM CT on Prime
Knockout Rounds
Quarterfinals — Friday Dec. 4 and Saturday Dec. 5, hosted by higher seeded teams.
Semifinals —Tuesday Dec. 8 and/or Wednesday Dec. 9, hosted by higher seeded teams (I’m guessing the uncertainty of date is due to not knowing the teams and locations, and if a double-header is feasible or not).
Final — Friday, Dec. 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Regular season games for the disqualified teams will take place on the other days during this time frame.
The NBA will release all 30 teams’ complete regular season schedule tomorrow at 2:00 PM CT.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - FEBRUARY 28: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket during the game against the Golden State Warriors on February 28, 2026 at Chase Center 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 Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With the NBA action fast approaching, the league has begun announcing all of the games for the 2026-27 season.
On Tuesday, we got news that the Lakers will take on the Sixers on Christmas Day and that their first official game will be at home against the Warriors. Now, on Wednesday, we got the full schedule for NBA Cup action.
Los Angeles will open play in its group against Golden State on Friday, Oct. 30 on Prime. Here’s a look at their four games:
Oct. 30, 7 pm PT – Lakers at Warriors (Prime)
Nov. 6, 7 pm PT – Lakers vs. Blazers (Prime)
Nov. 20, 7 pm PT – Lakers vs. Kings
Nov. 27, 6:30 pm PT – Lakers at Spurs (Prime)
The Emirates NBA Cup 2026 Group Play schedule includes 15 national games across Prime Video, NBC/Peacock and ESPN.
Group Play games will occur every Friday from Oct. 30 through Nov. 27. There will also be contests happening on Tuesday, Nov. 24, and Wednesday, Nov. 25.
This isn’t exactly an easy group for the Lakers. On paper, LA should be favored against the Warriors, but any Steph Curry-led team is tough to beat. Facing the Spurs will be an even tougher challenge.
Last season, San Antonio won their group and reached the NBA Cup title game. Victor Wembanyama is an elite, highly competitive player, so expect him to try to win it all this season. The Blazers and Kings are the weaker opponents in this group, but no team can be taken lightly.
The Lakers won the very first NBA Cup competition back in 2023, but haven’t had as much success in it since. In 2024, they didn’t make it out of the group stage, and in 2025, they lost in the quarterfinals to the Spurs.
During the three-year history of the NBA Cup, success in the tournament has been an indicator of what teams are the best in the league.
Last year, the NBA Cup title game and NBA Finals had the same teams participating. Back in 2024, the Thunder lost in the Cup Championship against the Bucks, before winning the NBA Finals against the Pacers.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - NOVEMBER 4: Dyson Daniels #5 of the Atlanta Hawks drives against Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics during the third quarter at State Farm Arena on November 4, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. 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 Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Celtics will once again compete for the Emirates NBA Cup this season — and they’ll look to secure the franchise’s first in-season tournament championship. Now, we know when that will happen, and against whom, as the NBA has unveiled the entire NBA Cup schedule as part of a week-long schedule rollout.
The Celtics are in Group C, which means they’ll compete against the Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls, Charlotte Hornets and Washington Wizards. They failed to make it out of the group stage round in each of the past two seasons, and lost in the Quarterfinals in the Cup’s inaugural season. But, at least on paper, Group C is one they should stack up well against (only the Hawks were a playoff team last year).
The Celtics’ NBA Cup schedule
Friday, October 30th vs. Bulls, 7:30 p.m. ET
Friday, November 6th at Hornets, 7 p.m. ET
Tuesday, November 24th at Wizards, 8 p.m. ET
Friday, November 27th vs. Hawks, 8 p.m. ET
After the group stage, there are three knockout rounds.
Quarterfinals: Friday, December 4th and Saturday, December 5th
Semifinals: Tuesday, December 8th and/or Wednesday, December 9th
Championship: Friday, December 11th
We also know that the Celtics will face the Detroit Pistons for the first game of the NBA regular season on Tuesday, October 20th at 3pm ET, and host the New York Knicks for their home opener on Friday, October 23rd at 7pm ET.
On Christmas Day, the Celtics will host the Miami Heat at 2:30pm ET.
The full 2026-27 schedule will be released Thursday at 3pm ET.
BROOKLYN, NY - NOVEMBER 28: Terance Mann #14 of the Brooklyn Nets drives to the basket during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during the 2025-26 Emirates Cup on November 28, 2025 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. 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 Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
We now have the first piece of the puzzle that is the Brooklyn Nets’ 2026-27 regular season schedule. This morning, the NBA announced dates, times, and locations for the Emirates NBA Cup group round matchups. Brooklyn’s games, which should all be televised on the YES Network, include the following:
vs Detroit on 10/30 at 7:30 p.m. EST
vs Orlando on 11/20 at 7:30 p.m. EST
at Milwaukee on 11/25 at 7:00 p.m. EST
at Toronto on 11/27 at 7:30 p.m. EST
While all will matter equally on paper, Brooklyn’s second contest vs Orlando will likely carry a bit of extra weight, as it’ll feature both Wagner brothers as competitors for the first time in the NBA.
In the NBA Cup’s three year history, the Nets have yet to advance into the knockout round. However, should they finally break through this season, those games will take place from December 4-9th. The Cup championship game is scheduled for December 11th at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
The NBA will also announce the remainder of its national television schedule, being ESPN and NBC’s slate of games, at 3 p.m. EST today. Last year, the Nets only played in two nationally televised games — an early November bout with the Minnesota Timberwolves and a mid-January game with the Chicago Bulls.
While the Nets undoubtedly improved as a team this summer and certainly increased their “watchability” by adding a former All-Star in Julius Randle and a potential blue-chip prospect in Mikel Brown Jr., I would expect a similarly sized portion of nationally televised games again this year. We’ll update this story with the details once they’re released. The compete NBA 2026-27 season schedule will drop at 3 p.m. EST on Thursday.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - APRIL 07: Quentin Grimes #5 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts during the second quarter against the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center on April 07, 2025 in Miami, Florida. 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 Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
While not the biggest gamble of the offseason, the Lakers certainly committed a lot of belief and money into Quentin Grimes.
The team’s focus on getting younger and more athletic led them to Grimes, whom they signed to a four-year, $60 million deal. It’s a huge vote of confidence in his potential and that a likely starting spot and streamlined role will lead to big results in the coming seasons.
As we continue our series looking at some of the team’s free agent signings, we spoke to Paul Hudrick, site manager for Liberty Ballers, about Grimes’ time with the Sixers, where he flourished, and
What are his strengths?
When Grimes is going well, his physicality, fearlessness and versatility are major strengths. He was never able to replicate what he did to close the Sixers’ nightmare 2024-25 campaign, but you saw glimpses of it throughout last season.
He’s a physical guard with the ability to play on or off the ball. He can score at all three levels. He’s also an aggressive and physical player on the defensive end. If you’re looking for the most optimal version of Grimes, his Game 5 in Boston last year was it.
What are his weaknesses?
Grimes seemed to struggle last season with more stars on the floor. He started the season looking like a Sixth Man of the Year candidate. As Tyrese Maxey ascended, VJ Edgecombe improved and Joel Embiid and Paul George got healthier, Grimes seemed to fade into the background.
While that Game 5 performance highlights what Grimes can be, the rest of the playoffs showed where you might have concerns. He’d often disappear in games. He was also prone to strange mistakes and his shot selection could be questionable, perhaps being a bit overaggressive as his touches diminished.
From an outsider’s perspective, how do you see him fitting with the Lakers?
While he didn’t have much success with a fully healthy Sixers team, it’s fair to note the Sixers didn’t have anyone near the playmaking level of Luka Doncic last season. It’s also fair to note that Grimes had success playing alongside Luka in Dallas.
I’m curious how he’ll play next to Collin Sexton. I would imagine Grimes and Sexton will battle to be the first guard off the bench. Grimes’ ability defensively likely gives him the edge there playing next to Luka or Austin Reaves.
Anything else to know about him?
In the time I covered him, Grimes was a player who always left me wanting more. I’d see him yam on somebody, bury four threes a row with a hand in his face and then chest up someone like Jaylen Brown defensively, then he just wouldn’t have an impact for a long stretch.
His decision-making can be a bit maddening as well. I think he’s a good player and belongs in an NBA rotation, but there might be a reason he’s been on five teams in six years.
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 25: Alexandre Sarr #20 of the Washington Wizards dunks the ball during the game against the Atlanta Hawks during a 2025-26 Emirates NBA Cup game on November 25, 2025 at Capital One Arena in Washington, DC. 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 Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Washington Wizards have released their 2026-27 NBA Cup schedule, which features four group-stage matchups across October and November.
Washington’s group — Group C — includes the Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls and Charlotte Hornets. The team’s Nov. 24 matchup against the Boston Celtics at Capital One Arena will be aired at 8 p.m. on NBC.
While the full schedule hasn’t been released, it appears Trae Young’s first game in Atlanta since his January trade to the Wizards is scheduled for Nov. 6.
The Wizards are an NBA-worst 1-11 in NBA Cup games over the last three seasons. Their lone win came last season against the Hawks, who they’ll again face during this year’s group play.
Bob Iger, left, and Joshua Kushner. (Getty Images)
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 $12.5 billion, sources familiar with the matter but not authorized to speak publicly confirmed to The Times, $2.5 billion more than the reported number when Walter bought the team in October from the Buss family.
Kushner, of permanent-capital holding company Thrive Eternal and younger brother of Jared Kushner, and Iger, Disney’s former chief executive, were recently looking into an expansion franchise as the NBA eyed new teams in Seattle and Las Vegas. Walter, who also owns the Dodgers and the Sparks, has been at the center of a federal loan investigation. The Dodgers and Sparks were not involved in the deal, according to a source familiar with the transaction but not authorized to speak publicly.
“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. “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.”
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.
“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, who first reported the sale Wednesday morning. “I am grateful to Jeanie Buss, the Buss family, the players, and the staff for welcoming me into this chapter. The Lakers belong to Los Angeles, and I have every confidence the best is still ahead.”
Patrick Soon-Shiong, the owner of the L.A. Times Media Group and minority owner in the Lakers, welcomed his new business partners on social media.
“Go Lakers!” he posted on X. “Congrats Bob and Josh.”
Iger stepped down from his role as Disney CEO in mid-March, but remains on the board of directors through December. The longtime executive and his wife Willow Bay, the dean of USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, bought a controlling stake in NWSL club Angel City FC in 2024 and led a project to build an NFL stadium in Carson before the NFL instead returned to Inglewood, where Rams owner Stan Kroenke built SoFi Stadium.
Mark Walter, chairman and controlling owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, acknowledges a fan before a game against the Chicago Cubs last week. (Melissa Tamez / Associated Press)
Kushner also owns a minority stake in the Miami Heat, which he bought in 2024 and must now sell to finalize the Lakers purchase. He was previously a minority owner in the Memphis Grizzlies. This year, his venture capital firm Thrive Capital launched Thrive Eternal, which is focused on long-term ownership of a small number of iconic franchises and cultural institutions, and acquired a stake in the San Francisco Giants as its first foray into sports. Thrive Eternal was at the center of a plan to buy tournament rights to the FIFA World Cup, but the controversial deal collapsed amid outrage, including a boycott from UEFA, the governing body for European soccer.
“Both of them love basketball,” Lakers legend Magic Johnson said in an interview with The Times. “And I think they’ll take us in the right direction. … First I was happy because it was Mark Walter and now I’m even happier that it’s Bob Iger and Josh Kushner so we got the right two people to own the team. Bob lived here, Bob worked here, on and on and on. And he wants to win. Both of them want to win. And you gotta have people who want to win. They’ll bring all the resources and make sure they bring a championship to Laker fans and L.A.”
In his short tenure, Walter and TWG Global started remaking front-office and business operations with the Lakers. The franchise was investing in assistant general manager positions this offseason, growing its sports science resources with the help of the Dodgers and moving G League operations from the South Bay to the Coachella Valley. Lakers general manager and president of basketball Rob Pelinka called the two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers and Lakers “brother-sister” organizations.
Despite being one of the NBA’s marquee franchises, the Lakers, who had been a family-run team for 46 years since Jerry Buss bought the franchise in 1979, were starting to fall behind in the booming NBA business. Within months of buying the team, Walter installed Dodgers executive Lon Rosen to oversee business operations. Rosen added new roles to drive revenue, oversee business strategy and grow interest in the franchise domestically and internationally.
The Lakers added a second row for courtside seats during playoff games, sold a uniform sponsorship to Daiso for the Laker Girls dance team and agreed to a new jersey patch deal with Albert, a personal financial assistant app. The team also laid off more than a dozen employees in May, soon after the season ended with a second-round playoff sweep by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Just 14 months ago, Mark Walter bought the iconic Los Angeles Lakers for an NBA record $10 billion, ending the franchise's run as a family-run business. Now he is flipping the team for a cool $2.5 billion profit.
In a stunning turn of events, Walter is selling the Lakers for a new record $12.5 billion to American businessmen Josh Kushner and Bob Iger, a story broken by Ramona Shelburne of ESPN. This sale ultimately will have to be approved by the league's Board of Governors (made up of the other 29 owners), but that seems a mere formality (as it was for Walter 10 months ago). Kushner and Iger were in discussions about buying the expected NBA expansion team in Las Vegas, meaning the league certainly has already started the vetting process.
"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."
"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. I am grateful to Jeanie Buss, the Buss family, the players, and the staff for welcoming me into this chapter. The Lakers belong to Los Angeles, and I have every confidence the best is still ahead."
It's worth noting that federal investigators have been looking into Walter and his conglomerate and holding company, TWG Global, for alleged fraud tied to insurance companies it owns (based on reports from a whistleblower), according to reporting in the Wall Street Journal and The Los Angeles Times. Walter and TWG have denied any wrongdoing. It's unclear if the investigations had any impact on the sale of the team. Walter is not selling the Los Angeles Dodgers as part of, or adjacent to, this deal.
It's unclear what percentage of the team the Buss family will retain through this sale. It still had a 15% ownership stake after the sale to Walter, and Jeanie Buss was continuing as governor of the team, overseeing day-to-day operations.
Since taking over the Lakers, Walter has been aggressive in reshaping the Lakers' front office and scouting staff, which had been one of the smallest in the NBA despite the size of the Lakers' brand. The Lakers have been building out a much more robust and diversified front office, with Rob Pelinka still in charge as general manager. Walter made sweeping changes to business-side personnel as well, changing much of the organization.
Kushner is the younger brother of Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law, however, Josh does not have a role in the White House. Kushner founded Thrive Capital, which is a venture capital firm that invested in companies such as Instagram and OpenAI, among others. Kushner is worth an estimated $5.2 billion.
Iger is well known in Southern California for his two turns as the CEO of the Walt Disney Company. He is a consultant with Thive.
The Los Angeles Lakers are being sold for a record $12.5 billion less than two years after Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner and TWG Global CEO Mark Walter bought the team from the Buss Family. The deal was first reported by ESPN.
The sale to businessman Joshua Kushner and former Disney CEO Robert Iger would mark the highest amount ever paid for a North American sports franchise, surpassing the $10 billion that Walter paid for the Lakers.
"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," Kushner and Iger said in a statement.
Walter bought the Lakers in 2025 from the family of Dr. Jerry Buss, who owned the franchise from 1979 until his death in 2013. At the time of his death, the franchise was passed on to his six children, with his daughter Jeanie becoming the team's governor and being named controlling owner in 2017.
Buss remained the governor even with the sale to Walter, as the team moves forward in a new era with superstar Luka Doncic, but must replace the production of NBA all-time scoring leader LeBron James, who led them to a championship in 2020 but left in free agency this summer to join the Philadelphia 76ers.
Walter has not commented on why he is selling the team, but two companies tied to Walter are currently under federal investigation as the government looks into the financial dealings of the billionaire’s businesses.
"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. I am grateful to Jeanie Buss, the Buss family, the players, and the staff for welcoming me into this chapter. The Lakers belong to Los Angeles, and I have every confidence the best is still ahead," Walter said in a statement.
NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 2: Adam Silver, Joshua Kushner and Bob Iger are seen on Day 10 of the 2025 US Open Tennis Championships at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 2, 2025 in Flushing Meadows, Queens, New York City. (Photo by XNY/Star Max/GC Images)
In a completely unexpected and shocking move, the Lakers are reportedly being sold again.
On Wednesday morning, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN reported that the franchise was being sold for a record-breaking $12 billion to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger.
Shortly after the news came out, Kushner and Iger released a statement to ESPN confirming the sale.
Statement to ESPN from Josh Kushner and Bob Iger:
“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… https://t.co/IMvaW0Iolr
“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.”
Statement to ESPN from Mark Walter: “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. I am grateful to Jeanie Buss, the… https://t.co/IMvaW0Iolr
“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. I am grateful to Jeanie Buss, the Buss family, the players, and the staff for welcoming me into this chapter. The Lakers belong to Los Angeles, and I have every confidence the best is still ahead.”
For now, it’s unclear what caused this sale, but it’s not hard to look at the ongoing federal investigation into Walter and assume that had a role. Without knowing much about the investigation, many people will likely try to connect dots and assume something is going on with that investigation that prompted Walter to sell the team.
Even if that is the case, he sold the team for a profit after owning it for less than a year. When he purchased the Lakers, it was at a valuation of $10 billion. Fast forward to 2026 and he made $2.5 billion on the sale.
There’s certainly a lot to unpack from all this with lots of the answers we’re looking for not coming for some time. First, who are Kushner and Iger and what experience do they have in running a team?
Well, Josh Kushner is, in fact, Jared Kushner’s brother, which means the Lakers are alarmingly close to Donald Trump now. He is also a minority owner of the Miami Heat, a move he made back in early 2025 that he will now, obviously, have to divest from. To acquire a stake in the Heat, he sold his stake in the Grizzlies, which he acquired in 2019. That’s all to say he does have a history of being around the NBA.
Outside of basketball, sports fans more recently likely heard his name as part of the FIFA World Cup controversy in which FIFA President Gianni Infantino was attempting to sell stakes of competitions to private investors, specifically to an investment fund run by Kushner. The plan backfired spectacularly and might cost Infantino his job, so Kushner pivoted to buying the Lakers, it seems.
Iger is likely a name sports fans have at least heard before as he served as the CEO of Walt Disney Company for nearly 20 years. When it comes to sports ownership, he is the majority owner of Angel City FC, the LA-based National Women’s Soccer League franchise.
Another fair question from this is what happens to Jeanie Buss and Rob Pelinka. The answer is that we don’t know and likely won’t for some time.
With Jeanie, though, it wouldn’t be a surprise if this is the end of the road. Her agreement to stay with the team was with Walter. If he is no longer the controlling owner, that deal won’t exist. It was already a very unique deal that was hard to grasp, so it’d be a surprise if another set of owners agrees to a similar deal.
As for Pelinka, his immediate future is not in any imminent danger. It took months to finalize the deal last time around, so we’ll likely be well into the season once this move gains league approval and becomes official. It’s unlikely, as much as some Lakers fans may want it, that the new owners are going to come in and immediately clean house during the season.
To that point about the front office, though, this will end the partnership between the Dodgers and Lakers, which had grown throughout the last year. All of the expansion of the front office that was ongoing under Walter likely will be put on hold to some degree.
There are a lot of questions that won’t have answers for some time and a lot to unpack from this. But what a shocking bit of news that no one anticipated.
After 17 NBA seasons, he's led the franchise to four NBA championships, becoming a Finals MVP, two league MVPs, two-time scoring champion and 12-time All-Star, along the way.
The consensus is that he'd retire with the Warriors.
"That's always been the message," Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy told reporters in an Aug. 11 virtual call. "That's always been sort of what we discussed, and I think that's you know tracking quite well. Obviously, he's eligible for an extension coming up at the end of this month, and you know we'll talk through all that stuff and can't speak on it much right now. But yeah, I'm pretty confident Steph will finish his career here."
There hasn't been any speculation that Curry would want to move on and play elsewhere. But it is ultimately his decision.
Curry's contract expires at the end of the 2027 season, provided there's not an extension agreement. Though he doesn't have a no-trade clause, it's essentially up to Curry if he wanted to be traded, Dunleavy said.
"Ultimately, it's his call, his decision," he said. "Whether that's allowing his contract to run out and move on, or you know, look, if he comes to me and wants to be moved, you know. Joe and I will talk it through it. We wouldn't love it, but he's earned the right to be where he wants and do those things."
The next thing Dunleavy said should ease anyone's mind that was thinking a Curry trade was even considered.
"As far as the the messaging or any idea that he would be anywhere else, that's not a thing we're looking at or he's looking at," Dunleavy said. He later added, "I think there's two things I'm confident about with Steph. He really, really wants to win, and he wants to finish his career as a Warrior. And I don't think that changes tomorrow, August 29, the start of the season, middle of the season, the end of next season. I think that's those things are going to be consistent."
The same thing goes for Draymond Green, who's been called the heart and soul of the Warriors during their dynasty run where he became four-time All-Star, four-time champion, Defensive Player of the Year and a nine-time all-defense selection going into his 15th season.
"You know he's he's no different than Steph in the sense of we we hope he retires a Warrior," Dunleavy said. "You know we want to make that happen. He wants to make it happen. So, you know we'll see where things go. Our number one priority right now, though, Draymond will say this, Steph will say this, everybody here will say this, is to win. And you know we're glad to have Draymond back."
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 08: Stephon Castle #5 of the San Antonio Spurs handles the ball during the second quarter against the New York Knicks in Game Three of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on June 08, 2026 in New York City. 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 Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to Pounding the Rock’s 2025-26 player reviews! The series will look at the players who finished the season with the San Antonio Spurs on guaranteed contracts and who played consequential minutes and/or a vital role (so no two-way players because we hardly saw them this year, no players who were traded away, and none of the deep bench centers, since they were both irrelevant and are now all gone).
Contract Status: 2 years, 22.7 million remaining (rookie deal)
Age: 21
The Spurs had plenty of great individual performances in what was a complete success of a season, but Castle’s might be the most interesting one, both from a narrative standpoint and because of what it might mean for the future. The simple summary would be that he was fantastic in a major role, with some bumps along the way. But that role and those bumps are fascinating.
In the predraft process, Castle claimed that he wanted to be a point guard at the pro level after playing at the wing in college. There was some skepticism about his ability to do so, even though he handled the ball in high school, and some thought he was only saying it to fall to the Spurs and avoid being picked by the teams above them. But to the extent that a team with three ball-dominant perimeter players can have one lead guard, Castle was it for San Antonio this past season.
The sophomore made the most passes and led the team in touches per game, time of possession, and average seconds per touch in both the regular season and the playoffs. His 7.4 assists per game and his 19.6 assist points created also led the team and ranked him eighth in the league in both categories, excluding Ja Morant and Trae Young, who played 20 and 15 games, respectively. He was also among the leaders in all assist-related categories in the playoffs. Mitch Johnson gave Castle the ball, and Castle proved he knew what to do with it.
Equally true is that Castle was turnover-prone all season long, with only 10 players averaging more turnovers than him per game (again, removing guys who didn’t play much). Turnovers come hand in hand with having the ball a lot, but everyone above Castle had a higher usage. The problem was exacerbated in the postseason, as his assist-to-turnover ratio, which was mediocre at best in the regular season, got to worryingly low levels. There was also the 11-turnover game against the Thunder that got attention and made many wonder if Castle could survive without a second ball handler next to him.
While those issues were real, it’s hard to call Castle’s first season as a full-time point guard anything but a success, especially considering his age. And if those problems with turnovers persist, Castle’s amazing job guarding up to four positions suggests he can move off the ball some in the future to make room for a more natural floor general, as long as the shot continues to come along, as it did in 2025/26.
Looking ahead
In any other franchise, Castle’s destiny would have been defined by his success in the role he had in his sophomore season, but the Spurs have De’Aaron Fox and, much more importantly, Dylan Harper around. As mentioned, Castle can be productive in a heavy-usage on-ball role, but he might need to adjust to accommodate others who can also do the same to make San Antonio better.
His defense is already so good across positions (despite the occasional avoidable foul caused by overaggression) that Castle’s ability to move up and guard wings is not a question. Whether he can space the floor while playing shooting guard or small forward, on the other hand, is. Castle shot 33 percent from beyond the arc on low but acceptable volume, which shows he’s not a complete non-threat from outside. Still, that’s how opponents treated him. Over half of Castle’s three-pointers were of the wide-open variety, and he hit a mediocre 36 percent of them. He let it fly most of the time, but he had moments when he lost confidence and passed up the occasional shot. Going forward, the Spurs will need Castle to become a better shooter to slot in seamlessly alongside Harper. The pairing worked surprisingly well last season, but as Harper grows, he’ll want and need the ball more.
Even with some big holes in his game, which are expected of a 21-year-old, Castle seems destined to be a star. Because of the rookie scale, however, he doesn’t get paid like one for now, but he will be expensive soon. A max extension next summer, when he becomes eligible, seems almost inevitable, unless he takes an unlikely discount. The Spurs should be happy to pay him, as long as his third season goes as planned.
Top performance
Feb. 7 vs. Dallas Mavericks. 40 points on 19 shots, 12 rebounds, 12 assists, three steals.
With most of the players we’ve reviewed, the options for top performance weren’t many. It’s different with Castle, who had massive games in the regular season and the playoffs. I’ll take the easy way out and pick a 40-point triple-double, just the second in franchise history, but feel free to disagree.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - DECEMBER 05: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Cleveland Cavaliers drives to the basket around Peyton Watson #8 of the Denver Nuggets during the first quarter at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on December 05, 2024 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. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The long summer of the Cleveland Cavaliers being interested in a free-agent small forward, just for nothing to actually happen, continues. First, it was the endless speculation about LeBron James returning. Then, there were rumors about a Jonathan Kuminga sign-and-trade. Now, we’ve moved on to speculating whether 23-year-old, 6’8” wing Peyton Watson could be coming to Cleveland.
The Cavs remain one of the handful of teams continually linked to restricted free agent Watson. Marc Stein’s latest report reaffirms this. Stein notes that the Cavs are a “team to watch” with Watson and that the Cavs have been looking to send out Dennis Schroder and Max Strus to make a sign-and-trade work.
Cleveland doesn’t have the cap space to make a meaningful offer to Watson in free agency. However, since they are currently below the first apron, they can execute a sign-and-trade.
A sign-and-trade essentially allows the Cavs to sign Watson to a deal, and then trade away players and their salary to the team Watson is a restricted free agent with (the Denver Nuggets) or to an additional team(s) to make the financials work. There’s a lot of cap minutia you can dive into if you want, but the basic thing to know is that the Cavs would have to trade other players away to make a deal for Watson or Kuminga work.
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Schroder and Strus are the two candidates to move in any sign-and-trade.
Strus has been an incredibly useful player for the Cavs over the last three seasons, but he and Sam Merrill essentially occupy the same on-court role and position. Considering Merrill is making $7.5 million less next season in a salary cap league, it makes sense to move Strus. This upcoming season is the last year Strus is under contract.
Schroder will earn $14.8 million this upcoming season and $15.5 million the following. However, his contract is only guaranteed for $4.35 million for the 2027-28 season, so he could easily be waived after this upcoming season without a large cap hit. That potentially makes him an attractive target for a team looking to clear space off their books.
The issue with the Watson situation is the fact that the Nuggets are the only team in the dreaded second apron. They presumably don’t want to clog their books with even the expiring contracts the Cavs have to offer, which is an issue. What incentive does Denver have to facilitate a deal for Watson? A third or maybe even a fourth team is needed to absorb those contracts, while the Cavs would still need to send some sort of compensation to the Nuggets.
Stein notes that this is where the holdup is. Finding a landing spot for either, or both, is “easier said than done” at this point in the summer. It’s also worth pointing out that this is something that they’ve been reportedly looking to do since the end of June. If there were a lot of interest around either Strus or Schroder, you’d believe a deal would’ve already happened.
Stein also points out that the Cavs could be looking to sign Watson to a four-year deal. The length and potential dollar amount associated with that deal could be a risk.
Watson is the archetype you want to take a risk on. There aren’t many young, athletic wings with high upside to gamble on — however, it’s worth pointing out that it would still be a gamble.
Watson has only had one season where he’s averaged double-digit points per game. The outside shot has been streaky, and he isn’t much of a facilitator offensively when he isn’t scoring the ball. An overwhelming majority of his makes throughout his career have been assisted, which points to him not being someone who can create his own shot. Watson has mostly been an offensive finisher. And if he came to Cleveland, he wouldn’t be playing with someone as skilled as Nikola Jokic at creating open looks for teammates.
Still, this is a risk worth pursuing.
The Cavs aren’t the only team vying for Watson’s services. Stein wrote that the Los Angeles Clippers and Milwaukee Bucks are also in the running. There’s also the possibility that Watson chooses to return to Denver on a qualifying offer of $6.5 million next season, which would allow him to be an unrestricted free agent next summer.
Cleveland has been looking for a permanent answer at small forward for the better part of the last eight seasons. Watson has the potential to be the solution, but getting a deal done could be both complicated and risky. We’ll see if the Cavs can find enough partners to make a deal for Watson work for all parties.
Last season, Watson averaged 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists on .491/.411/.730 shooting splits in 54 games with Denver.
