One of the most titled NBA clubs, the Los Angeles Lakers, will change its owner. The basketball team, which LeBron James recently left, was purchased for $12.5 billion by the brother of US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Joshua Kushner and former head of The Walt Disney Company Bob Iger, ESPN reported, citing sources and statements from participants in the deal.
Businessman and investor Joshua (Josh) Kushner is the younger brother of Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, who previously participated in peace negotiations on Gaza and Ukraine. Previously, Joshua Kushner planned to take part with his investment firm Thrive Capital in the reorganization of the World Cup, but FIFA abandoned the project amid protests from national football unions.
Iger led Disney for a total of about 20 years, from 2005 to 2020, and then from 2022 to 2026. Under him, the holding became one of the main players in the American show business market with the acquisition of Marvel Studios, as well as Lucasfilm along with the Star Wars franchise. Iger previously ran ABC in the 1990s.
As ESPN notes, the Lakers, as part of the new deal, broke their own record for the cost of teams in American sports. In October 2025, a controlling stake in the club was sold to the TWG Global holding, led by businessman Mark Walter, for $10 billion. Iger and Kushner are acquiring this particular asset.
Prior to this, the club remained in the possession of the Bass family for almost 40 years. In 1979, Los Angeles real estate investor Jerry Buss bought both the local basketball and hockey franchises and their home arena for $67.5 million. Since Buss' death in 2013, the Lakers have been jointly owned by his six children.
Walter, who has owned a controlling stake for less than a year, said in a statement that he is grateful to the Bass family for his “chapter” in the history of the team and hopes for its success under new owners.
“The Lakers belong to Los Angeles and I am absolutely confident that the best is yet to come,” ESPN quotes Walter.
Iger and Kushner also mentioned Jerry Buss and his daughter Jeanie in their comments. Even during the deal with Walter, she remained one of the minority owners of the team and its manager.
“We deeply respect the leadership and vision of Jerry and Jeanie Buss. We are committed to the long term and building on this foundation, competing at the highest level and serving this incredible team, its fans and the city of Los Angeles,” the channel quoted the new owners as saying.
Jeanie Buss will now have to vote on whether to approve or reject the deal along with the other 29 NBA team executives. Their meeting is scheduled for September.
According to ESPN, Kushner and Iger had previously planned to take part in the creation of a new NBA club in Las Vegas, Nevada, and their decision to purchase the Lakers came as a surprise to the basketball community. The Trump family member remains a minority owner of the Miami Heat and, according to league rules, must sell the asset in order to take control of the Lakers.
Slovenian Luka Doncic, who became the main star of the Lakers after the transfer of 41-year-old James to the Philadelphia 76ers, supported the new owners on the social network X (formerly Twitter).
“I've been used to big changes over the years, but I know there are no limits to the potential of this iconic team. I look forward to meeting Josh and Bob and starting to build something special together in Los Angeles,” said 27-year-old Doncic, noting that he plans to become a champion with the team.
