Report: New Lakers Owner Mark Walter Could Be Valuable Resource For LeBron James

According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Buss family is entering an agreement to sell majority ownership of the Los Angeles Lakers to Mark Walter for $10 billion. 

Walter now owns the Lakers and Los Angeles Dodgers. 

According to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, a source close to LeBron James suggested that Walter could be a valuable resource for James as he pursues his post-playing career goal of one day owning an NBA franchise.

James wants to own an NBA team after he retires from the league. 

James’ player option for next season with the Lakers is worth $52,627,153. He’s expected to pick it up. 

“This is a good move,” one league source who has frequent interactions with the franchise said to ESPN. “The Lakers can finally be run like a real business.”

The Lakers lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of this year’s playoffs in five games. James, 40, averaged 25.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.8 blocks in the five-game series. He suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee in Game 5.

James is the oldest active player in the NBA. He averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.2 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.6 blocks for the Lakers this season in 70 games. 

Arguably the best player of all time, James has played for the Cleveland Cavaliers (twice), Miami Heat and Lakers. He has career averages of 27.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 7.4 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.7 blocks.

James is the leading scorer in NBA history. He’s the only player to rank top five all-time in points and assists. 

After playing for the Cavaliers from 2014-15 to 2017-18, James signed with the Lakers in the summer of 2018 as an unrestricted free agent. 

Los Angeles missed the playoffs in 2019, won the championship in 2020, lost in the first round of the 2021 playoffs, missed the playoffs in 2022, lost in the conference finals in 2023 and lost in the first round of the 2024 and 2025 playoffs.