Joshua Kushner and Bob Iger agreed to purchase the Los Angeles Lakers for $12.5 billion, transferring majority ownership of the franchise in Los Angeles. Last update: August 14, 2026.
The transaction matters because the $12.5 billion price set a new record for a sports franchise and followed a prior sale valued at $10 billion. The new ownership group combines Kushner’s venture capital resources and Iger’s media leadership background and immediately shifted attention to team strategy, business operations and regulatory approvals.
Context and significance of the sale
The sale came roughly a year after a different majority stake in the Lakers was valued at 10 billion, a rapid turnover that raised questions about continuity at the franchise level. The new valuation of 12.5 billion surpassed that figure and set a benchmark across professional sports ownership.
The new owners signaled parallel priorities: on-court competitiveness and expansion of the Lakers’ commercial footprint. The team is scheduled to begin NBA Cup play against the Golden State Warriors on October 30, an early competitive test under renewed management and one of the first public milestones for the new regime.
Ownership group and backgrounds
The principal purchasers were named as Joshua Kushner and Bob Iger. Kushner is associated with Thrive Capital and has an estimated net worth cited at 5.2 billion. His sports investments have included stakes in the Miami Heat the New York Liberty and an interest in the San Francisco Giants.
Bob Iger is the former CEO of Walt Disney and has been presented by the ownership group as providing executive and media strategy experience. The pairing brings together a venture capital approach and a media/entertainment executive profile for franchise management and brand development.
Sale mechanics, legal backdrop and public context
The Kushner-Iger deal required standard NBA due diligence and approval by the league’s board of governors. The sale occurred against a backdrop of federal scrutiny affecting other related financial actors: a separate private-credit probe by the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission into insurers tied to a prior investor drew attention to the wider financial ecosystem around recent high-value sports transactions.
Earlier negotiations also intersected with a blocked private investment effort involving a football governing body, where a proposed investor group that included a Thrive-linked bid was ultimately not permitted to acquire a new spinoff. Political ties and family relationships became part of the public discussion: Joshua Kushner is the younger brother of Jared Kushner, and public statements by family members received attention; Karlie Kloss was quoted saying, “I’m a Democrat, and I think it’s possible to have relationships with people who you politically don’t align with.” The White House stated the Lakers sale had no direct connection to the President.
Immediate implications for roster and franchise direction
On the court, the Lakers will navigate roster construction around superstar Luka Doncic who was quoted welcoming the new ownership: “I’ve gotten used to big changes over these last few years, but I know that no matter what, there is no limit to the potential of this iconic franchise.” The new ownership signaled an intent to invest in player acquisitions and development as a means to restore championship contention.
Business-level priorities cited by the ownership group included enhancing the fan experience, community engagement and leveraging media and investment relationships to expand the Lakers’ domestic and international brand. The group’s combined backgrounds suggest emphasis on strategic commercial partnerships and franchise valuation growth.
The sale remained subject to the formal NBA approval process and customary closing conditions while the new owners proceeded to outline early operational priorities. Observers flagged the speed of ownership turnover—from the Mark Walter-led valuation of 10 billion to the current 12.5 billion price—and the broader implications for valuations across the league and other major sports franchises.
