Mark Walter Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Lakers Notes: Buss, Ayton, Doncic, LeBron

July 10th, 2025 at 11:08am CST by Luke Adams

A statement last month indicated that Jeanie Buss is expected to remain the Lakers‘ governor “for the foreseeable future” even after the team is sold to incoming owner Mark Walter. That “foreseeable future” will span quite some time, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic, who hears from a source that the agreement between the two sides calls for Buss to remain in her governor role for at least the next five seasons.

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Speaking to reporters at his introductory press conference on Tuesday, new Lakers center Deandre Ayton said that signing with Los Angeles “feels like a video game” and that he doesn’t intend to take the opportunity for granted, as Mark Medina of RG.org relays. Ayton called new teammate Luka Doncic a “once-in-a-generation player” and cited Doncic’s and LeBron James‘ career assist numbers as one reason why he expects to thrive in L.A. “They turn (their teammates) into superstars,” Ayton said, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “They make them bigger than their roles, they make them very important on the floor.”
Ayton also said on Tuesday that he’s motivated by critics who have questioned his effort, focus, and maturity, according to Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. “It fuels me,” Ayton said. “It fuels me up completely. And it’s a different type of drive that I’ve been wanting to express for a long time. I think this is the perfect timing, here in the purple and gold. And it’s a platform that I cannot run from. I can show what I really am and just be around some greats to really emphasize that for me as well. It is a lot of fuel in me to prove to the whole world.”
After social media posts revealed that LeBron James visited the Cavaliers‘ practice facility last week, the star forward clarified (via Twitter) that it’s an annual occurrence for him, since he lives and trains in the area during the offseason. Still, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said during an appearance on ESPN Cleveland (Twitter video link) that LeBron knew what he was doing when he was photographed in the Cavs’ building amidst speculation about his future. “LeBron absolutely knows that he will cause a wave with these social media things,” Windhorst said (hat tip to Adam Zagoria of NJ.com). “On one hand, he is just coming home for the holiday, he is just doing something that he has done numerous times in the past. On the other hand, by doing what’s he’s doing, he’s absolutely poking the bear and being passive aggressive. And by the way, the Lakers are being passive-aggressive back at LeBron. They did not announce his option pick-up. So they’re both acting in the same way. Now, how is this going to get resolved? And my answer to you, in full honesty, is I don’t know.”

Lakers Rumors: LeBron, Finney-Smith, Reaves, Luka, Centers

June 28th, 2025 at 4:09pm CST by Luke Adams

With one day until LeBron James must make a decision on his $52.6MM player option for the 2025/26 season, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin is hearing the same thing his colleague Shams Charania was a month ago: James is expected to exercise that option to play out the final year of his current contract.

James has considered retirement every offseason since 2023, according to McMenamin, but it sounds like he’s committed to playing a record-setting 23rd NBA season in ’25/26. A source familiar with LeBron’s thinking also tells ESPN that he’s not entering next season with “any certainty that it will be his last.”

The other Lakers forward with a player option decision to make, Dorian Finney-Smith, is interested in returning to Los Angeles, a source tells ESPN. However, it sounds like he’ll also have interest in adding multiple years to his current contract, either via opting in and extending or by opting out to sign a new contract. If the only way for him to stay with the Lakers is by picking up his option with no guarantee of an extension, he may test the open market, McMenamin explains.

As McMenamin writes, head coach J.J. Redick trusts Finney-Smith, who was popular in the Lakers’ locker room, so I’d expect the team to try to lock him up. But if he does walk, it would at least open up the $14.1MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception, giving L.A. more options to replace him in free agency, McMenamin notes. The club projects to just have the $5.7MM taxpayer mid-level exception available if James and Finney-Smith return on their option salaries.

Here’s more on the Lakers:

The Lakers understood that Austin Reaves would turn down the four-year, $89MM extension offer they put on the table for him, but the team didn’t want to send the wrong signal by not offering it, says McMenamin. According to his sources, the two sides remain motivated to work out a new deal next summer, when Reaves will have the ability to opt out of his current contract.
A source close to Luka Doncic tells ESPN that Mark Walter‘s agreement to buy a majority stake in the Lakers was viewed as a positive development from the star guard’s perspective. “You always want the wealthiest owners, so that speaks for itself,” the source said to McMenamin. “And his track record speaks for itself. … (Doncic) wants to win. This owner’s proven that he wants to win. So this is a plus-plus.”
McMenamin confirms a couple more Luka-related notes, citing sources who say the former Mavericks star remains motivated by how he was treated on his way out of Dallas, and committed to a training and nutrition program this offseason; and writing that Lakers assistant Greg St. Jean will be a part of the Slovenian national team’s coaching staff this summer as Doncic represents his home country in the EuroBasket tournament. The former was initially reported by Dan Woike of The Athletic, while the latter was first reported by Andrej Miljković of Ekipa24.
Addressing the Lakers’ hunt for a center, president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka said during a Thursday night press conference that the team has been “super active” and will “turn over every stone” as it seeks a solution, tweets Woike. Nic Claxton of the Nets and Robert Williams of the Trail Blazers are among the possible trade targets the Lakers have “mulled internally” since last season, according to McMenamin, who also mentions several other previously reported names.

Lakers Sale To Mark Walter Will Close This Year

June 25th, 2025 at 1:35pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

New incoming Lakers majority owner Mark Walter will assume control of the franchise during the third or fourth quarter of 2025, Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press reports.

An ownership group led by Walter is purchasing a significant portion of the Buss family’s 66% majority stake in the Lakers at a $10 billion valuation. Walter was already a minority shareholder in the franchise, having purchased a 27% stake in 2021 alongside Todd Boehly.

Current Los Angeles governor Jeanie Buss, who helped steer the franchise to a title in that role five years ago, will stay in that role – and will continue to oversee team day-to-day team operations – “for the foreseeable future,” the Lakers and Walter confirmed in a press statement addressing the sale.

“From the day our father [Dr. Jerry Buss] purchased the Lakers, we have been determined to deliver what the City of Los Angeles deserves and demands: a team that is committed to winning — relentlessly — and to doing so with passion and with style,” Jeanie Buss said. “I have gotten to know Mark very well over time and been delighted to learn how he shares those same values. For the last four years, Mark has been an excellent partner to us, and we are thrilled to keep working with him to continue the Lakers’ extraordinary legacy.”

Under the Buss family, the Lakers have won 11 championships.

The Chicago-based Walter also has stakes in the Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Sparks, and other sports holdings.

“Since Dr. Jerry Buss first purchased the team in 1979, they have truly set the standard for basketball in one era after another, which is why you can find people anywhere in the world wearing Lakers shirts and jerseys,” Walter said.

Lakers Notes: Walter, Buss Family, Sale, NBA Reaction

June 19th, 2025 at 10:50pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Lakers were at the center of the NBA conversation once again this week — during an exciting ongoing Finals series — when it was revealed that the Buss family was selling its approximate 66% majority stake in the franchise to minority owner Mark Walter. Los Angeles was valued at $10 billion in the sale.

Bill Plaschke of The Los Angeles Times opines that Walter, who owns stakes in multiple other teams including the Dodgers, will give Los Angeles a more expansive trajectory moving forward — unencumbered by the financial constrictions or occasional cronyism that may have impeded the Lakers’ title pursuits of years past.

Plaschke predicts that, as was the case with MLB’s Dodgers, Walter will help modernize and build out L.A.’s infrastructure behind the scenes.

Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports observes that, much in the same way the Lakers’ purchase in 1979 by late family patriarch Dr. Jerry Buss led to a massive sea change for the league at large, the Buss family’s departure from team control signals the end of another era.

There’s more out of Crypto.com Arena:

Current Lakers governor Jeanie Buss was the guiding force to galvanize this record-smashing sale, ESPN insider Shams Charania said on the network’s “The Pat McAfee Show” (Twitter video link). Charania added that the Buss family trust, split between the six children of the departed Dr. Buss, will still hold a significant stake in the team for at least a while. “The Buss family will have just over 15% of the minority share for a period of time,” Charania said. “Jeanie Buss will stay on as the governor for a period of time after this sale… My understanding is that Jeanie Buss really drove this sale of the Lakers.”
Unlike when a similar situation played out with former Mavericks majority owner Mark Cuban, Jeanie Buss’ short-term continued role as Lakers governor has been defined in a written agreement, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne told ESPN Radio Los Angeles’ Clinton Yates (Twitter video link, h/t to RealGM for the transcription). “It’s in writing,” Shelburne said. “Mark Cuban did not get his role in writing. Jeanie Buss’ is in writing. That’s part of the deal. She’s staying on for the foreseeable future to run the team. There’s going to be a great continuity in this transfer of ownership.” Cuban said ahead of the Mavericks’ sale that he’d remain in his governor role, but that didn’t end up happening.
The league at large has weighed on the Lakers’ blockbuster sale, according to Tim Bontemps and Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “This is a good move,” an NBA source told ESPN. “The Lakers can finally be run like a real business.” As Bontemps and McMenamin note, the franchise was revenue-dependent under the Buss family. Now, it’s just another investment for the far wealthier Walter. “Most of these owners now, this is a part of their portfolio,” an executive said. “It’s not the only thing in their portfolio.”

Lakers Sale Notes: Walter, Buss, LeBron, Doncic

June 19th, 2025 at 9:04am CST by Arthur Hill

The sale of the Lakers to Los Angeles sports mogul Mark Walter should signal a change in the way the franchise operates, writes Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. The record-setting deal, which includes an approximate $10 billion valuation for the franchise, will end more than four decades of control for the Buss family.

Despite their position as one of the NBA’s glamour teams, Vorkunov points out that the Lakers haven’t always been run that way. He states that many of the owners who’ve entered the league in the past few years are more aggressive about investing in high-priced front office and coaching hires and that L.A.’s basketball operations department isn’t as large or free spending as some of the small-market teams.

Vorkunov expects Walter to adopt a different approach based on his stewardship of the Dodgers, who have used an enormous payroll to become an MLB powerhouse. They’re projected to spend $476MM this season in payroll and luxury tax, and they invest heavily to bring in top-notch talent throughout the organization.

“A key difference between baseball and basketball is that you can’t simply outspend everyone on payroll the way the Dodgers do,” an NBA executive told Vorkunov. “But what most people overlook is how much the Dodgers invest beyond just players. They spend at an elite level on infrastructure: front office talent, analytics and player development. Each area is essentially run by a GM-level executive, enabling them to retain top-tier personnel across the board.”

There’s more on the sale of the Lakers:

The purchase agreement ensures that Jeanie Buss will retain her role as governor and will keep running the team for “at least a number of years,” sources tell Ramona Shelburne of ESPN (Twitter link). Her sources add that Walter gave his full endorsement to the arrangement, noting that he and Buss have built a strong relationship, especially since he became a minority owner in 2021. Shelburne adds that it’s a different situation that Mark Cuban faced in Dallas, where he didn’t get to keep the operational control he expected after his sale of the team was finalized (Twitter link).
The Buss family intends to hang onto a minority stake in the franchise worth just over 15%, per Shams Charania of ESPN. NBA bylaws require a stake of at least 15% in order for Jeanie to continue serving as governor, as Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line note (Substack link).
LeBron James is “comfortable” with the impending sale, Vorkunov and other Athletic reporters add in a separate story. Luka Doncic, who is eligible for a $229MM extension, shared his excitement about the deal on social media. “The Lakers are an amazing organization,” he tweeted. “I’m looking forward to meeting Mark and excited about the future. I am also grateful to Jeanie and the Buss family for welcoming me to LA, and I’m happy that Jeanie will continue to be involved. I look forward to working with both of them to win championships!”
Mark Medina of RG notes that Buss talked 10 years ago about having the family control the team “forever.” He looks at what has happened over the past decade to make them change their minds.

Buss Family To Sell Lakers To Mark Walter For Record-Setting Price

June 18th, 2025 at 4:11pm CST by Rory Maher

4:11 pm: Walter has agreed to buy the Lakers at a valuation of approximately $10 billion, the largest sum ever for a professional sports team, Charania reports (via Twitter).

3:52 pm: The Buss family has reached an agreement to sell its majority stake in the Lakers to Mark Walter, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

Walter, 65, is the CEO and chairman of TWG Global, a diversified holding company.

Walter, who also owns the Los Angeles Dodgers (MLB) and Los Angeles Sparks (WNBA), among sports investments, is currently a minority owner of the Lakers, having purchased a 27% stake in 2021 alongside Todd Boehly.

According to Charania, current governor Jeanie Buss will continue to serve in that role after the sale is finalized.

As Ramona Shelburne of ESPN tweets, Walter earned the right of first refusal to purchase majority control of the Lakers in 2021 when he bought his minority stake. The Buss family owns about 66% of the team, per Shelburne.

Longtime owner Jerry Buss purchased the Lakers for $67.5MM back in 1979, according to Charania, who notes (via Twitter) that his children inherited majority control when Buss passed away in 2013.

ESPN’s Tim Bontemps believes the Lakers’ sale price will exceed the Celtics’ record-breaking valuation of $6.1 billion (Twitter link). Boston’s new ownership group is expected to be approved sometime in June or July.

California Notes: Camper, Terrell, Bleijenbergh, Lakers

July 11th, 2021 at 1:44pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Kings have a workout scheduled for this Tuesday with Siena College swingman Manny Camper, writes Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee. Camper averaged 14.1 PPG and 9.7 during 2020/21, his senior season.

Anderson notes that Camper was the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Men’s Basketball Player of the Year. Camper was also a two-time All-MAAC First Team honoree during his NCAA tenure. According to Anderson, Camper has been described by coaches and staff at Siena as a “high character individual” and a “consummate selfless team leader.”

The Kings currently possess the No. 9 overall pick and the No. 39 pick in the 2021 draft. While he’s not expected to be drafted this season, Camper could make for an intriguing addition to the Kings’ Summer League roster, Anderson writes.

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The Kings worked out Sacramento native Christian Terrell, a Sacramento State alum who also attended Sacramento High School, per Sean Cunningham of ABC10 (KXTV) Sacramento (Twitter link). “It felt good to work out for your home team,” Terrell, a 6’5″ guard, said. “Just getting to experience what it’s like being inside Golden1 was a blessing and I am super grateful the Kings organization reached out to me and allowed me to work out.”
Intriguing Belgian pro Vrenz Bleijenbergh is scheduled to work out with the Kings on Monday, as Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee details. The 6’11” swingman most recently played for the Antwerp Giants, and Anderson notes that the league currently views him as a potential second-round prospect. Anderson adds that Bleijenbergh was recently honored as a Pro Basketball League Rising Star selection.
More recent Los Angeles championship pedigree is arriving for the Lakers. Dodgers owners Mark Walter and Todd Boehly have officially bought out minority owner Phil Anschutz‘s 27% stake in the club, per a team press release. Under the stewardship of Walter and Boehly, the Dodgers won their first title in 32 years during the 2020 MLB season.

Lakers Notes: Third Star, Schröder, K. Walker, Sale

July 2nd, 2021 at 10:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Adding a third star this summer won’t be easy for the Lakers, even if there are a few on the market, writes Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. L.A.’s season was derailed by injuries to LeBron James and Anthony Davis, showing the need for another elite player, but the team may not have enough valuable assets to offer.

The Lakers own the 22nd pick in this year’s draft, but don’t have another tradable first-rounder until 2027. They’ve still got their selections in 2023 and 2025, but are limited by the league rule preventing future first-round picks from being traded in back-to-back years.

Goon cites the Trail Blazers‘ Damian Lillard and the Sixers‘ Ben Simmons as players who might be available, but he isn’t convinced that the Lakers can match salaries with a competitive offer, which would mean sending $31.4MM to Portland or $24.5MM to Philadelphia. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Kyle Kuzma will each make $13MM next season, but a package with them and the two draft picks may not be the best deal the Sixers can get. The Lakers could have another trade chip if Montrezl Harrell opts in at $9.7MM, but that still may not be enough for Philadelphia.

Getting the Blazers to trade Lillard for a similar package seems nearly impossible, and Goon sees L.A.’s best chance as a sign-and-trade involving Dennis Schröder. However, Schröder has expressed a desire to re-sign with the Lakers and there’s no guarantee that Portland would want him in return for Lillard.

There’s more from L.A.:

Schröder is expecting to get offers in the range of $100MM to $120MM in free agency, VP of the German Basketball Federation Armin Andres said, according to TalkBasket. Andres confirms that Schröder isn’t playing for Germany this summer because the cost of insuring his future earnings is too high.
The Lakers and Clippers will be the most interested teams in acquiring Kemba Walker from the Thunder, ESPN’s Zach Lowe said on his latest podcast (hat tip to Justin Leger of Yahoo Sports). Walker, who was traded from the Celtics last month, was plagued by knee problems all season and still has two years and nearly $74MM left on his contract.
The NBA’s board of governors gave unanimous approval to the sale of 27% of the Lakers to Todd Boehly and Mark Walter, according to Scott Soshnick of Sportico. The deal is expected to be finalized next week.

Pacific Notes: Anschutz, Vogel, Leonard, Bagley

June 26th, 2021 at 10:32am CST by Dana Gauruder

Philip Anschutz has agreed to sell his 27% stake in the Lakers, Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times confirms. Anschutz is the founder of AEG and owns the team’s arena, the Staples Center. Dodgers owners Mark Walter and Todd Boehly are making the purchase and the transaction values the Lakers at about $5 billion, Scott Soshnick of Sportico reports.

The sale of Anschutz’s stake in the Lakers, which is the largest outside of the Buss family, has to be approved by the league’s Board of Governors. Anschutz also owns of the NHL’s Kings and the MLS’ Galaxy. A major long term question is whether Anschutz’s first right to purchase, should the Buss family ever want to sell its majority stake, will transfer to the two buyers, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN tweets.

According to the Sportico report, the buyers will get those transfer rights.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

Frank Vogel is entering the final year of his three-year contract with the Lakers and some members of the organization are surprised he hasn’t already received an extension, according to Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register. Vogel could also face numerous staff changes since Jason Kidd, who has agreed to be the head coach of the Mavericks, could take several assistants with him to Dallas, Goon adds.
Kawhi Leonard has not appeared in the Western Conference Finals and will miss Game 4 on Saturday due to a knee injury, but he’s been a major presence off the court, Kurt Helin of NBC Sports notes. Leonard and another injured Clippers player, Serge Ibaka, have been dispensing advice during games and practices. “Kawhi and Serge both have been great… Kawhi is just more, you know, everything: offense, defense, moving the basketball, how we can attack certain matchups, defensively how we can do different things on certain players,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said. “So, he’s always engaged on both ends.”
Marvin Bagley III‘s future with the Kings remains up in the air and he’s facing a social media backlash from Sacramento fans, according to James Ham of NBC Sports Bay Area. Bagley liked a tweet that stated, “We’ve got to get @MB3Five outta Sac man.” After a negative reaction from fans, Bagley removed any mention of the Kings from his bio on both Twitter and Instagram. Sacramento has already picked up Bagley’s $11.3MM option for next season but he’ll be eligible for free agency next summer.