Apr 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) moves the ball against Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels (3) during the first half in game five of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn ImagesThe Los Angeles Lakers have been sold from the Buss family to Mark Walter, the principal owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. For a valuation of about $10 billion, Walker will control the team.
This was something that was very surprising to NBA fans who don’t follow the team, but not quite as much to Lakers fans. If the Buss family was going to sell, it was always set up that Walter would be the guy to buy.With the sale now announced, it’s a good time to determine who will come out as winners and who will come out as losers from this transaction.
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The complaint from Lakers fans has been that the Lakers don’t dump money into the roster like the Warriors or the Celtics have in the last few years. They pay the luxury tax, but they don’t go all-in.
That could change now that Walter is funding the team. He has done that with the Dodgers, and that has turned them into multi-time World Series champions.Luka Doncic and LeBron James stand to benefit from Walter spending more money to improve the roster around those two. Doncic will benefit longer because he’ll be on the team for the next decade or so.
Loser: Rob Pelinka
Pelinka is someone who has polarized Lakers fans. While he did execute the Doncic trade, which was one of the most shocking trades in league history, fans are frustrated with how he has built the roster.
Walter has a track record with the Dodgers of changing who is in charge of making team decisions in order to become a championship-level team. He could do the same with Pelinka.
