Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner to Acquire Los Angeles Lakers in $12.5 Billion Deal
Former Disney CEO Bob Iger and investor Joshua Kushner are set to purchase the Los Angeles Lakers for an estimated $12.5 billion, pending NBA approval, after Mark Walter agreed to sell the franchise.
The Los Angeles Lakers are slated to change ownership as Mark Walter agrees to sell the team to former Disney chief executive Bob Iger and investor Joshua Kushner. The transaction, reported by ESPN, would value the franchise at about $12.5 billion, up from the $10 billion price Walter paid a little over a year ago.
Iger, 75, and Kushner issued a joint statement saying they are honored to become stewards of the Lakers and intend to build on the foundation set by former owners Jerry and Jeanie Buss. The sale still requires approval from the NBA’s board of governors.
Iger, who stepped down as Disney’s CEO earlier this year, has previously invested in professional sports, acquiring a controlling stake in Angel City FC in 2024. Kushner, who holds a minority interest in the Miami Heat and previously owned a share of the Memphis Grizzlies, is also linked to a failed proposal involving FIFA’s competition assets.
Lakers star Luka Dončić posted on social media that he looks forward to working with the new owners to pursue a championship. Walter, who also owns the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Sparks, expressed gratitude to the Buss family and the community, noting his confidence in the franchise’s future.
Federal investigations into Walter’s insurance and asset-management businesses are ongoing, but they are unrelated to the Lakers transaction.