Despite the noise and the highly publicized drama surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers from Jeanie Buss and her siblings, Mark Walter remains unbothered and fully inclined to sell the franchise.
According to Sam Amick and Dan Woike of The Athletic, the renewed conflict between the Buss siblings isn't being seen by Mark Walter as a threat or distraction in handing the Lakers to upcoming new owners Josh Kushner and Bob Iger.
"A source with knowledge of Mark Walter’s thinking told The Athletic that the current Lakers owner didn’t believe the latest Buss family disagreement would threaten his deal with Iger and Kushner, which values the Lakers at a record $12.5 billion," the report indicated.
"Two other league and team sources also said they don’t expect the conflict to impact the transaction that will push the Lakers into their next chapter. In that sense, who the Lakers’ majority owner will be when the 2026-27 season begins isn’t the pressing question at hand."
Lakers ownership transition marred by Buss family drama
In one of the most stunning franchise deals in all of sports, Mark Walter sold the Los Angeles Lakers franchise to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger.
In a record-breaking $12.5 billion deal, Walter flipped the Lakers for an instant profit in just 14 months of being at the helm of the historic franchise.
Walter's decision to sell the Lakers unfolded in the wake of an intense legal investigation by the FBI and SEC into his business empire. He is now also in the process of selling his Chelsea FC ownership stake.
After reports emerged that the Buss family sold their 17.8% stake of the franchise to Kushner and Iger, Jeanie Buss's camp hit back and maintained its conviction to remain in Los Angeles.
Jeanie is facing uncertainty as the Lakers' governor, with all five of her siblings determined to finally sell their family's remaining stake in the franchise.