The Los Angeles Lakers are set to change ownership again, with former Disney chief executive Bob Iger and investor Joshua Kushner reportedly agreeing to acquire the NBA franchise for a record $12.5 billion.
According to ESPN, the proposed deal would establish a new benchmark for the value of a sports franchise, coming just about a year after billionaire Mark Walter reached an agreement to acquire a controlling stake in the Lakers for $10 billion.
Walter’s deal, which was reported in June 2025, brought an end to the Buss family’s 46-year ownership of the storied franchise.
Kushner, an investor and entrepreneur, is the younger brother of Jared Kushner, who is married to US President Donald Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump.
The Lakers are among the most decorated teams in NBA history, having won 17 championships, a tally matched only by the Boston Celtics.
Over the years, the franchise has featured several of basketball’s biggest stars, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O’Neal and the late Kobe Bryant.
LeBron James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, also spent eight seasons with the Lakers, winning one championship before recently leaving the team for the Philadelphia 76ers.
The proposed sale is not yet final, as it still requires approval from the NBA’s board of governors.
ESPN reported that the approval process could take several weeks.
If completed, the transaction would make the Lakers the most valuable sports franchise involved in a sale at the reported $12.5 billion valuation.
