The $10 billion sale of the Los Angeles Lakers fully shook an unsuspecting sports activities world on Wednesday afternoon.
Mark Walter’s shock buy of the Buss household’s 66 % controlling stake within the iconic franchise shattered information simply a number of months after the Boston Celtics sale did the identical factor. There’s a ton to type by and unpack within the coming days, however one factor is for sure:
Who’s Mark Walter? What to know concerning the new Lakers proprietor
This deal is totally wild. And bizarre. And astounding. Really simply jaw dropping stuff.
Do not imagine me? Listed here are 5 issues to think about as you course of the huge transaction.
1. How quietly this deal got here collectively
There’s truly an excellent purpose for this however that we’ll get to in a second, however take a second to think about the very fact a $10 billion deal to buy one of the iconic groups on the planet with out a single leak or announcement till the sale was agreed upon.
That is truly an unbelievable accomplishment in 2025.
Now, the reason being that Walter, who already owned 26 % of the crew, reportedly had a primary proper of refusal if the Buss household ever determined to promote. So it is not just like the Lakers wanted to however a name out for consumers or something.
2. Jeanie Buss is staying in her position
The Buss household is not simply giving up on the Lakers. Jeanie Buss will stay the franchise governor. Some issues, apparently, are simply too laborious to stop.
Now he’ll be their greatest rival.
Walter joined David Geffen’s bid for the Clippers that reportedly got here in barely over $1.5 billion. In the end, Steve Ballmer received the precise to buy the membership for $2 billion.
4. Magic is again!?…Possibly!?
Magic Johnson was final a member of the Lakers group in 2019, when he stepped down as president of basketball operations. He helped put up the cash for Walter’s controlling stake within the Los Angeles Dodgers at a worth of $2 billion.
Whereas Jeanie Buss is not leaving the group, the door is now large open for Magic Johnson to search out his means again into the manager suite within the Lakers’ amenities. Actually, who may’ve seen this coming?
5. Mark Walter and LeBron James are English Premier League rivals
There are some layers right here, however on paper, the half proprietor of Liverpool F.C. is now an worker of the proprietor of Chelsea F.C.
LeBron is an investor in Fenway Sports activities Group, which apart from proudly owning the Boston Purple Sox — one other Dodgers rival — additionally controls the reigning Premier League champion Liverpool F.C. Walter, however, is a part of the BlueCo group that bought Chelsea F.C. in 2022 for $4.8 billion.
This must be enjoyable.
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