The Los Angeles Lakers were shockingly sold for the second time in the last 14 months, with Josh Kushner and Bob Iger taking over from Mark Walter, and the new leaders already have work to do. Nobody saw the stunning change coming, but the Lakers are built around Luka Doncic. The front office just remade the roster around their superstar, and Doncic valued Walter’s communication (subscription required) since he took charge. The Lakers will go as Luka goes, and the new leaders must start building the relationship with their superstar.
LA is virtually all-in. They traded two first-round draft picks and two first-round swaps to land Walker Kessler this summer. It was a bold move, but it got Doncic the center he has desired since joining the Lakers. The purple and gold have just one first-round swap and three second-round picks to trade. The new owners will struggle to tinker with the roster, so they need Luka fully bought in to win.
This was a record sale price of $12.5 billion that allowed Walter to clear $2.5 billion in just over one year. The price may have been too good to pass up, but it leaves the Lakers with more questions than answers heading into their first season with LeBron James since 2018.
Lakers' new owners need to communicate with Luka Doncic
It takes one of the best players in the world to win a championship. The Lakers have that in Luka, and it will take communication and a say in the decision-making to keep the superstar happy. Under Mark Walter, Doncic had plenty of say over the roster and personnel decisions. He wants to be in the loop and be able to fit the pieces around him.
The Lakers still have work to do with their roster, but the new owners must commit to the current plan. They just spent $12.5 billion to buy the franchise. Kushner and Iger will certainly want plenty of say over what happens. How does that change the dynamics in LA? Nobody knows at this point.
Marc Stein brought up a great point that all Lakers fans have to be wondering about Jeanie Buss.
When Mark Walter reached agreement in June 2025 to buy the Lakers for $10 billion, it was stipulated in writing that Jeanie Buss would remain Lakers operating governor for five years.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) August 12, 2026
Fourteen months later … we await clarity on how the team’s leadership new structure will look. https://t.co/c99ow6GfBF
Buss had in writing that she would remain operating governor until 2030 in the Walter deal. Did that change with the new ownership? The answer isn’t clear, but that could impact the jobs of Rob Pelinka and the entire front office if someone else is taking charge.
The Lakers need Luka. The 27-year-old is just entering his prime and has already led his team to the NBA Finals. He is one of the best players in the world and eager to win a championship. Doncic is the key to immediate success for the new owners. That means keeping him happy by building a strong relationship.
Luka is clearly interested in running a team. He is part of the ownership group of a Rome basketball team hoping to join NBA Europe. Walter clearly saw that spark and kept number 77 in the loop. Kushner and Iger should do the same if they want the Lakers to be successful immediately.
The Los Angeles Lakers are stunningly being sold for the second time since the start of 2025. Nobody saw this coming, especially after Mark Walter’s success running the Dodgers. They are changing hands again, and the new owners should start building a strong relationship with Luka Doncic now.
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