The Los Angeles Lakers are changing hands in a record-shattering transaction as Joshua Kushner and Bob Iger reach an agreement to purchase the iconic NBA franchise for upwards of more than twelve billion dollars, according to reports from ESPN and the Associated Press. The deal values the storied basketball club well above its previous valuation, marking a historic shift for one of the most visible brands in global sports just a year after entrepreneur Mark Walter acquired the team for $10 billion.
A Record-Breaking Valuation for a Global Franchise
According to ESPN, the incoming ownership group led by Kushner and Iger has agreed to a purchase price exceeding more than twelve billion dollars (approximately 10,4 billion euros), while the Associated Press reported the figure at 12.5 billion dollars based on named sources. This massive financial leap comes barely a year after Walter purchased the franchise in 2025 for a then-unprecedented $10 billion. The Lakers, anchored by a rich history featuring hardwood icons like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O’Neal, continue to command the highest revenue and valuation benchmarks in professional basketball.
Behind the Bid: Kushner, Iger, and the Las Vegas Pivot
Joshua Kushner, an investor and the brother of Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, teamed up with former Disney chief executive Bob Iger to secure the historic asset. According to reporting from ESPN, the pair had initially explored investing in a prospective expansion team in Las Vegas if the league decided to award a franchise to the city. Faced with a timeline that could have spanned several years, the duo pivoted to pursue an aggressive buyout of the Lakers instead. Iger, whose former media conglomerate Disney owns ESPN, brings decades of corporate governance and entertainment industry leadership to the ownership group.
Magic Johnson Reacts and the Path to NBA Approval
Lakers legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson took to the platform X to endorse the incoming leadership, writing that he congratulated his close friend Iger and his business partner Kushner. “Lakers-Fans, ihr könntet keine besseren Besitzer haben,” Johnson posted, adding that he has known Iger personally for over four decades and trusts his lifelong passion for the franchise will help bring championship banners back to Los Angeles. Despite the agreement between the buyers and current stakeholders, the transaction is not yet final. The deal must clear a formal review by the NBA’s Board of Governors, a governing body representing all league teams, a process expected to take several weeks.
Building on the Buss Family Foundation
In a joint public statement, Kushner and Iger acknowledged the monumental legacy of the Buss family, who held controlling ownership of the Lakers from 1979 until last year and built the organization into an international powerhouse. “Als lebenslange NBA-Fans fühlen wir uns zutiefst geehrt, die Möglichkeit zu bekommen, die Los Angeles Lakers zu übernehmen,” the buyers stated, outlining a commitment to sustain high-level competition and serve the local community. On the hardwood, the franchise moves forward following the departure of LeBron James over the summer, positioning Luka Doncic as the primary superstar guiding the team into its next financial and competitive era.
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