Bob Iger reportedly won’t be controlling owner of Lakers after all

Bob Iger may become one of the faces of the Lakers’ new ownership group. But apparently he won’t be the guy ultimately calling the shots.

Despite earlier reports portraying Iger and Josh Kushner as essentially co-buyers of the franchise, Charles Gasparino of the New York Post reports that Kushner will be the Lakers’ lone controlling shareholder if the $12.5 billion sale receives NBA approval.

That means Kushner, not Iger, would serve as the team’s governor and have final decision-making authority.

“Bob will not be the control person,” a source close to Kushner told the Post.

Iger is instead expected to become a minority owner and alternate governor while taking a major role in the Lakers’ day-to-day management.

That could still make the former Disney CEO an awfully important person around the franchise. The Post even raises the possibility of Iger serving in something resembling a general manager role.

But ownership titles matter in the NBA. League rules require a team’s controlling owner to personally hold at least a 15 percent stake. With the Lakers valued at $12.5 billion in the proposed transaction, Kushner would have to put up at least $1.875 billion himself.

Iger, meanwhile, is expected to be among a larger group of investors purchasing smaller stakes.

So Iger could have plenty of influence with the Lakers. Just don’t confuse influence with control.

If the deal goes through as currently structured, that apparently belongs to Kushner.