San Francisco, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward/guard Luka Doncic (77) dribbles upcourt against the Golden State Warriors in the first quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images
Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images
Stable isn’t a word one can associate with the Los Angeles Lakers at the moment. Ownership of the Lakers is set to change hands for the second time in two years, with Mark Walter selling his majority stake in the franchise to Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner at a $12.5 billion valuation.
There’s drama going on around Lakers governor Jeanie Buss and her siblings as well, and there is suddenly a lot of uncertainty surrounding the franchise. As a result, teams around the NBA are monitoring Luka Doncic’s situation just in case things go wrong, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.
“Just like [Nikola Jokic] can profess his loyalty to the Nuggets, there’s still going to be teams that are positioning themselves and monitoring that and all that kind of thing,” MacMahon said on The Hoop Collective. “It’s the same thing with Luka. He’s done nothing but express optimism and excitement about the Lakers since he signed that extension.
“But it’s not that long-term of an extension,” MacMahon added. “And you better believe there’s teams around the league that are looking at that situation saying, ‘Hey, if this thing goes sideways, we’d sure like to get Luka in midway through his prime.'”
Now, Doncic was not consulted about the sale, which came together in just 72 hours. The Slovenian was set to have a video conference call with Iger and Kushner this week, where you’d expect them to discuss the franchise’s future.
They will be the fifth different owner/ownership group Doncic has played under in recent years. That’s a lot of change, and the six-time All-Star brought that up when reacting to this sale.
“Being a Laker means everything to me, and I’m excited to get back on the court and bring a championship to LA,” Doncic stated. “I’ve gotten used to big changes over these last few years, but I know that no matter what, there is no limit to the potential of this iconic franchise. I look forward to meeting Josh and Bob so we can get to work building something special in LA together.”
Doncic, who averaged 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game in 2025-26, has shown that he is a pretty loyal individual. The 27-year-old never wanted to leave the Dallas Mavericks and was stunned when they traded him to the Lakers in February 2025. It took him a little time to get over it, but he has fully embraced Los Angeles now.
Doncic appeared to have been paired with the perfect owner, too, when Walter purchased the Lakers in 2025. He had enjoyed tremendous success owning the MLB’s Los Angeles Dodgers, winning three World Series titles.
There was a track record of success with Walter in terms of sports teams that doesn’t exist with Iger and Kushner. We’ll just have to wait and see how good they are. Teams will be ready to pounce if they aren’t up to the mark.
Doncic is entering the first year of his three-year, $160 million contract. He has a $57.4 million player option for 2028-29, so he can hit free agency in 2028. The threat of Doncic leaving in free agency exists, and the Lakers so far have done everything they could to make him happy. Ideally, that should remain the case with the change in ownership, but time will tell.
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