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After just nine months under Mark Walter’s ownership, the Lakers’ sudden sale has left fans uneasy about the future of the purple and gold.
In June of 2025, Mark Walter reached an agreement with the Buss family to take over the reins of the Lakers. Fans were excited for this new era of Lakers basketball, especially since Walter owns the Dodgers and the two teams have always gone hand in hand.
Fast forward to August 2026 and the basketball world was hit with another stunning Lakers ownership development. Just over a year after taking control of the franchise, Walter agreed to sell the Lakers to Bob Iger and Josh Kushner for a record-breaking $12.5 billion.
The team is heading into a new season with a mostly new roster, which FanDuel gives the sixth-best odds of winning the conference, and yet another new ownership group, which understandably makes fans uneasy. Also, Iger and Kushner didn’t instantly bring the same excitement that Walter did.
For our SB Nation Reacts survey, we asked fans how optimistic they are about the team’s new ownership. The results were very clear.
Clearly, fans are apprehensive about the new ownership, and that’s okay.
The drama surrounding Walter’s investigation, which eventually led to this sudden sale to Iger and Kushner, was a rollercoaster for Lakers fans to digest. Also, there’s the ongoing back-and-forth between the Buss siblings over selling their remaining share of the team.
Iger’s history with Disney has plenty of highs and lows. He did great things as CEO, of course, but his tenure also drew controversy. That includes the Scarlett Johansson lawsuit, in which she sued Disney, as well as his public feud with his former successor, Bob Chapek.
Kushner, the younger brother of Jared Kushner, comes with his own baggage, and not just his family’s notable political ties. Kushner’s venture capital firm, Thrive Capital, has invested billions in OpenAI. AI is a sensitive subject for most, mainly because it’s steadily replacing jobs that humans can do.
So, should Lakers fans feel uneasy? Yes. These new owners come with baggage. Most billionaires and millionaires do.
Honestly, though, the Lakers and drama go hand in hand, so embrace your fears, Lakers fans, but also embrace this new era of Lakers basketball. We can’t really do anything about it, whether we like it or not.
Let’s hold hands, breathe, and hope for the best.
You can follow Karin on Twitter at @KarinAbcarians.
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