The Los Angeles Lakers made shocking headlines on Wednesday when it was reported that Jeanie Buss is selling her majority stake in the team to a group headlined by Mark Walter. The Buss family has owned the Lakers for nearly 50 years, so it was stunning to hear that that will no longer be the case.
Walter has been the primary owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers since 2012, so he knows a thing or two about running a franchise. Before his Dodgers take on the San Diego Padres on Wednesday night in the third game of a four-game set, Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts had nothing but good things to say about Walter and what he will bring to the Lakers, via Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic.
“He wants to win,” Roberts said, per Ardaya. “He feels that the fans, the city deserves that. I think that’s never lost.”
Dodgers CEO Stan Kasten declined to comment on Walter's purchase of the Lakers, per Ardaya.
Article Continues Below
It doesn't come as a huge surprise that Roberts would have glowing things to say about Walter, who has turned the Dodgers into one of the most well-run and aggressive teams in Major League Baseball during his time there. Los Angeles is known for investing more in its roster than just about anyone other than the New York Mets and New York Yankees, which always gives it a chance to compete for championships.
That has paid off with two championship rings under Walter's ownership. The Dodgers first got over the hump in 2020 against the Tampa Bay Rays in the World Series before Los Angeles toppled the Yankees in the Fall Classic in 2024.
The Lakers have a lot of needs this offseason after clearing out a large portion of their depth to bring in Luka Doncic in February, so Walter's willingness to spend and make big moves is a great sign for Lakers fans that help should be on the way. Los Angeles needs to find a way to go get a center to pair with Doncic and LeBron James if it wants to compete for a championship next season, and Walter's green light will be a big first step in that quest.