The Los Angeles Lakers are entering a new era of basketball for the iconic NBA franchise, as they not only have a superstar to build around for the next decade or more, but also will be under new ownership.
Although the Buss family has been reluctant to sell the team or even entertain the notion of doing so, Mark Walter gave them an offer they couldn’t refuse. A record-setting $10 billion valuation will be given to Jeanie Buss and company, marking the highest total of a professional sports team sold in the United States. Walter, who is also the majority owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, will take the Lakers franchise in a new direction with a track record filled with success and the willingness to pay the money needed to keep this team as competitive as can be in this new era of basketball in Los Angeles.
With this move being massive, to say the least, it raises the question of whether Doncic was informed about the sale before its announcement on Wednesday. According to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN, the Lakers’ newcomer was given a heads-up before the news broke:
Sources told Shelburne that Lakers star Luka Doncic, acquired in the blockbuster February trade that sent Anthony Davis to Dallas, was given a short heads-up on the purchase agreement.
Reports indicated that Doncic is excited about the move, and he then put out his own statement to express exactly that:
The Lakers are an amazing organization. I’m looking forward to meeting Mark and excited about the future. I am also grateful to Jeanie and the Buss family for welcoming me to LA, and I’m happy that Jeanie will continue to be involved. I look forward to working with both of them…
— Luka Doncic (@luka7doncic) June 19, 2025
With Walter at the helm and Doncic seemingly motivated to take his game to another level moving forward, the Lakers franchise appears to be in an ideal position to be a real threat in the Western Conference for years to come. The next order of business will be addressing the moves that need to be made to bolster the team’s roster, starting with the frontcourt.
It’ll be interesting to see how the arrival of Walter impacts the team’s decision-making process over the summer and whether he’s genuinely willing to go all out to make this squad a legitimate title contender heading into the 2025-26 campaign.
Magic Johnson reacts to Lakers being sold to Mark Walter
After 12 years working alongside Mark Walter as co-owners of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Magic Johnson knows exactly what Los Angeles Lakers fans are getting with the new ownership. Johnson is ecstatic about the Buss family selling to Walter and is excited for what the future will bring for one of the most iconic franchises in professional sports.
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