The news of the Buss family selling their controlling stake in the Los Angeles Lakers to Mark Walter has sent shockwaves throughout the basketball world and will have effects throughout the entirety of the franchise. And that goes all the way down to the roster as well which, as always, begins with LeBron James.
The Lakers superstar is expected to return for his 23rd NBA season and it seems highly unlikely that he will be suiting up in anything other than a Lakers uniform. And with Walter taking over as controlling owner of the Lakers, that could have an effect on LeBron beyond his playing days.
According to Tim Bontemps and Dave McMenamin of ESPN, James’ camp could view Walter as a valuable resource for his post-playing goal of NBA franchise ownership:
While James’ decision is still pending, a source close to James suggested that Walter could be a valuable resource for James as he pursues his post-playing career goal of one day owning an NBA franchise, too.
LeBron has made no secret of his desire to one day own an NBA team and has spoken openly about wanting to be part of an ownership group for a possible future expansion franchise in Las Vegas. Walter is no stranger to working with former athletes as he has worked closely with Lakers legend Magic Johnson with the Los Angeles Dodgers, so James and his team being able to connect and network with Walter post-NBA career would be a logical move.
Whether it is working together directly, or simply connecting LeBron with other investors to better make his dream a reality, the idea of Walter being a resource at that level for the 40-year-old makes complete sense. Of course, LeBron will be focused on winning another championship with the Lakers for as long as he is suiting up, but Walter as owner could mean a lot for him both on and off the court.
LeBron James & Luka Doncic excited about Lakers ownership sale
There is a lot of excitement surrounding the sale of the Lakers to Mark Walter and that apparently extends down to the players themselves, and even superstars LeBron James and Luka Doncic.
Both James and Doncic are reportedly excited about the sale and what that could mean for the Lakers as a whole. Particularly the money that Walter could pour into things such as the analytics, scouting and health and wellness departments that could make the Lakers that much more of an attractive destination for players.
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