The Los Angeles Lakers are entering a new era.
The franchise has agreed to be sold to an ownership group led by Josh Kushner and former Disney CEO Bob Iger for a record $12.5 billion, according to multiple reports. The deal would make the Lakers the most expensive professional sports franchise ever sold.
The sale comes less than a year after Mark Walter and his ownership group purchased a controlling stake in the Lakers from the Buss family for approximately $10 billion. Walter’s ownership tenure lasted only about 10 months after the NBA approved the transaction in October 2025.
For Lakers fans, however, one familiar face will remain. Jeanie Buss is expected to stay on as the team’s governor for at least five years, allowing the Buss family’s influence to continue despite the change in majority ownership.
Kushner and Iger had previously explored the possibility of acquiring an NBA expansion team in Las Vegas, but the opportunity to purchase one of the most recognizable franchises in sports changed those plans. The two new owners have said they intend to build on the Lakers’ tradition and compete for championships.
The transaction still requires approval from the NBA’s Board of Governors. If approved, the Lakers will begin another chapter under new ownership just months after the franchise underwent its previous change in leadership.
For a franchise built on stars, championships and Hollywood sized headlines, the latest ownership change may be one of the biggest stories in Lakers history.
