Mark Walter, co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, is set to take over leadership of the Lakers. This move comes roughly three months after Bill Chisholm agreed to purchase the Boston Celtics for a record-setting $6.1 billion—surpassing the previous high of $6.05 billion paid for the NFL’s Washington Commanders. However, the Celtics’ sale still awaits final approval from the NBA’s board of governors, which is expected to meet in Las Vegas next month.
Now, the Lakers are being sold at a staggering $10 billion valuation—shattering all previous records.
The Buss family has owned the Lakers for 46 years, the longest continuous ownership of any current NBA team. The next closest is Herb Simon, who acquired the Indiana Pacers in 1983; the team is currently competing in the NBA Finals.
Jerry Buss originally bought the Lakers for $67.5 million and led the team to 16 NBA Finals appearances and 10 championships over 34 seasons. After his death in 2013, control of the franchise passed to a trust shared by his six children, all of whom held roles within the organization.
Over time, disputes over leadership emerged. In 2017, a settlement designated Jeanie Buss as the controlling owner, concluding a family power struggle that included legal action. That conflict came to a head after her brothers, Jim and Johnny Buss, called a board meeting that Jeanie perceived as an attempt to challenge her authority—not long after she had removed Jim from his role as executive vice president of basketball operations.
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