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Why the Lakers' $12.5B sale to Kushner, Iger is raising serious questions across the sports world
Дата публикации: 12-08-2026 17:43:49
Mark Walter is selling NBA franchise to Josh Kushner and former Disney CEO Bob Iger a year after buying team from the Buss family.
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Mark Walter is selling NBA franchise to Josh Kushner and former Disney CEO Bob Iger a year after buying team from the Buss family.
Published Aug 12, 2026 • Last updated 7 minutes ago • 3 minute read
Mark Walter (left) and Josh Kushner. Getty Images photosSee more Toronto Sun on Google — save as a Preferred Source
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Just over a year after purchasing the Los Angeles Lakers for a record $10 billion US, Mark Walter is now reportedly selling the team for an even greater sum: $12.5 billion.
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According to ESPN, Walter is selling the marquee NBA franchise to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger for a substantial profit.
During the 2025-26 NBA season — Walter’s only year as the team’s majority owner — the team went 53-29 to finish fifth in the Western Conference, was eliminated in the second round of the playoffs and then let hoops legend LeBron James walk in free agency.
How that series of events translates into a $2.5-billion valuation increase is just one of the many reasons this transaction has raised many eyebrows.
The $12.5 billion reported sale price is the highest for a sports franchise in history, topping the Lakers’ previous sale for $10 billion.
The next-highest amount is the $9.6 billion the NFL champion Seattle Seahawks fetched earlier this year, followed by the $6.1 billion the Boston Celtics fetched in 2025.
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In terms of valuation, the Dallas Cowboys remain the most expensive franchise in sports at an estimated $15.5 billion.
Have Kushner and Eisner been involved in the NBA?Kushner, the younger brother of Jared Kushner and brother-in-law to Ivanka Trump, currently holds a minority stake in the Miami Heat and previously was a minority owner of the Memphis Grizzlies.
Iger has connections to the NBA through his role as the former CEO of Disney.
Josh Kushner and Iger had been involved in an NBA expansion team in Las Vegas, though the league’s process remains in the exploration phase.
Why is Walter selling so soon?While the price tag would’ve been hard to turn down for anyone, the question remains why Walter flipped the franchise so soon after purchasing it.
The 66-year-old Walter is the CEO of TWG Global, which holds stakes in several major franchises including the Los Angeles Dodgers, English Premier League club Chelsea and the entire Professional Women’s Hockey League.
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However, two insurance companies controlled by Walter — Delaware Life Insurance Co. and Clear Spring Life and Annuity Co. — reportedly are under investigation by U.S. prosecutors in Manhattan and the Securities and Exchange Commission for tax fraud. According to Bloomberg, the companies allegedly failed to disclose that private credit holdings had been backed by other ventures controlled by Walter.
Bloomberg also reported on Wednesday afternoon that TWG Global has approached multiple investment firms as it looks to raise money to help pay down the loans that prompted the investigations.
The outlet cited several sources that requested to remain anonymous and added that the Lakers sale “will accelerate TWG’s efforts” in the matter.
What did Kushner and Iger say about buying the team?In a statement, the new owners touted themselves as lifelong basketball fans and admirers of the Buss family, the team’s longtime previous owners.
“As lifelong NBA fans, we are deeply honoured for the opportunity to become stewards of the Los Angeles Lakers, one of the most iconic sports franchises in the world. We have immense respect for the leadership and vision of Jerry and Jeanie Buss,” Kushner and Iger said in a statement. “Our long-term commitment is to build on that foundation, compete at the highest level, and serve this extraordinary team, its fans, and the city of Los Angeles.”
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Walter said that he was grateful for his team owning the team.
“Owning the Los Angeles Lakers has been one of the great honours of my life — an extraordinary investment, but what I will carry with me is the community, the fans, and a city that treats this team as family,” Walter said in a statement. “I am grateful to Jeanie Buss, the Buss family, the players, and the staff for welcoming me into this chapter. The Lakers belong to Los Angeles, and I have every confidence the best is still ahead.”
The NBA’s board of governors still must approve the sale, which could take several weeks. The board’s next meeting takes place next month in New York.
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