Oftentimes, when a professional sports franchise is on the path to being sold, it signals changes up and down the organization. Mark Walter made some significant changes to the front office when he purchased the Los Angeles Lakers, and now more changes could be coming with the sale of the team to Bob Iger and Josh Kushner.
The Lakers roster, though, may be a difficult thing to change. Things are relatively set around Luka Doncic, with many players on four-year deals and the team low on draft capital. Luckily, Doncic is not worried about how the sale might affect him or the roster, but is more seeing it as an opportunity with how valuable the franchise is, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN:
Beyond the basketball, the sale’s record valuation can only help Doncic’s business dealings as the face of the franchise.
“It’s certainly clear as well that the value of the Lakers brand, including in his new era, is unmatched,” a source close to Doncic told ESPN. “I think going from $10 billion to $12.5 billion [proves it].”
Doncic has already become a more prevalent face in advertising and brand deals since being traded from the Dallas Mavericks to the Lakers, so he knew that the franchise carried some significant weight. But the team going from a $10 billion valuation to $12.5 billion is under 18 months shows that — in part thanks to him — the Lakers are undoubtedly the league’s premier franchise right now.
Doncic has two more guaranteed years under contract with the Lakers before a player option will allow him to hit free agency. This offseason was about building out a team that Doncic is happy with and will want to commit to long-term, but the impact of the branding opportunities could also be a factor in him signing a new massive deal with the team in 2028.
Lakers ownership sale might have convinced LeBron James to stay
One of the biggest things that happened under Walter’s tenure as the majority owner of the team was a roster overhaul that took place this summer. LeBron James was among the outgoing players, signing with the Philadelphia 76ers on a minimum contract for his 24th season.
However, there are rumors that had the Lakers been sold prior to free agency, it’s possible he would have stayed with the purple and gold. We will never know for sure, but it’s a fascinating hypothetical involving an all-time great and how he will end his career.
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