The Los Angeles Lakers have made a historic transition – from a tight-knit, family-run franchise under the Buss dynasty to a well-capitalized behemoth under the ownership of Mark Walter, with the team valued at $10 billion.
Walter, already known for revitalizing the Dodgers, brings both financial muscle and organizational sophistication to the Lakers.
Commentator Brian Windhorst described the shift on SportsCenter as monumental:
“This is one of the biggest things that’s happened in the NBA in terms of shifts that we’ve seen in the last 15–20 years,” he said.
Although the sale was anticipated, Walter held purchase rights since acquiring Phil Anschutz’s stake in 2021; its timing aligns with a changing market, with the recent Celtics sale resetting franchise values.
“It was not a mystery that Mark Walter was probably going to be the next owner of the Lakers… it was just a matter of when,” Windhorst added.
Despite the Lakers’ global prominence, they have long operated as a smaller enterprise compared to clubs like the Clippers, Warriors, Nets, or Suns. Walter’s acquisition is expected to change that:
“I would only suspect that the modernization of the Lakers is about to come,” Windhorst stated, “and… the Lakers are only going to get more dangerous as an organization with the more resources that are theoretically about to be poured into it.”
With Jeanie Buss remaining as Governor, the Lakers aim to balance tradition with luxury-level investment, and the basketball world is watching closely.
Lakers' Sale Could Strengthen Team With Expected Modernization, Increased Resources https://t.co/BlpvlVBSdh
— RealGM (@RealGM) June 19, 2025
