Buss Family Sells Majority Stake as Mark Walter Becomes New Lakers Owner
Lakers owner Jeanie Buss and the Buss family made history by selling their majority stake in the Lakers to Mark Walter for $10 billion. The deal redefines how we value sports franchises and ends a 46-year dynasty of Buss family stewardship.
The balance of power in Los Angeles will undoubtedly change, as Jeanie Buss plans to continue serving as team governor. The deal significantly impacts star players like Luka Dončić, the league, and the franchise. This breakdown highlights who benefits most—and who loses out—from the stunning Lakers news.
Luka Dončić is the winner.
The Lakers are now being supported by one of the wealthiest owners in modern sports. Mark Walter turned the Dodgers into a consistent powerhouse by consistently investing in talent, infrastructure, and front office know-how.
Luka Dončić moved to Los Angeles and joined a system that prioritizes winning through long-term strategy and big-market resources. If Walter brings the same blueprint that led the Dodgers to multiple World Series, Dončić could be the face of the next Lakers dynasty.
Loser: The Celtics
The Boston Celtics recently sold for just over $6 billion, the second-largest NBA sale ever. But the Lakers just shattered that record by a whopping $4 billion margin.
This not only reestablishes the Lakers as the most valuable sports franchise in the NBA, but also deals a prideful blow to Boston in basketball’s greatest rivalry. For fans in green, it’s salt in an already raw wound.
Winner: NBA Owners
If you’re wondering how much are the Lakers worth, the answer just changed the game: $10 billion. This landmark price sets a new bar for franchise valuations, and it means one thing for every other NBA owner—their teams are now worth a whole lot more.
With expansion teams in Las Vegas and Seattle potentially on the horizon, current owners stand to make hundreds of millions more thanks to this market reset.
Loser: Rob Pelinka
Rob Pelinka, the current general manager, may now be on thinner ice. His power stemmed largely from his connections to Jeanie Buss and the late Kobe Bryant. But with a new owner comes the possibility of a new front office.
Pelinka’s questionable moves—trading for Russell Westbrook, letting Alex Caruso walk—could catch up to him if the Lakers falter in the 2025 season. Rumors already swirl that teams are eyeing Bob Myers, the architect of the Warriors’ dynasty and a UCLA grad, as a future GM.
Winner: Buss Family
Dr. Jerry Buss purchased the Lakers in 1979 for $67.5 million. Now, 46 years and 11 championships later, the Buss family just sold their majority stake for $10 billion—a staggering return.
Assuming the family owned 66% of the team, each of the six Buss siblings would walk away with an estimated $1.1 billion. While Jeanie Buss retains a minority stake and the governorship, the family has now converted their legacy into generational wealth.
A Legacy Redefined
The Lakers, long run like a family business, are poised to become a modern, corporate sports juggernaut. With Magic Johnson, Jerry West, and Kobe Bryant all part of its rich past, the team carries a storied legacy. Its future now lies in the hands of an owner with a track record of turning big-market potential into dynasty-level success.
For better or worse, the Buss family chapter has closed, and a new era of Lakers basketball begins.
Source: CBS Sports