End of an Era: Lakers Sold for $10 Billion as Jerry Buss’s Legacy Transforms into Global Corporate Asset

Posted : 22 June 2025

Twelve years after the passing of Jerry Buss, the legendary architect who turned the Los Angeles Lakers into the crown jewel of the NBA, his children have finalized the team’s sale for a staggering $10 billion. What began as a dream built through grit, education, and vision by Buss, who rose from poverty in Wyoming to become a real estate magnate, is now transitioning into the hands of TWG, a global sports investment conglomerate.

The sale marks a dramatic turning point, not just for the franchise, but for the broader NBA ecosystem, ushering in a new era where billion-dollar conglomerates, rather than passionate individuals, shape the future of American sports.

Jerry Buss changed the face of basketball by turning Lakers games into glamorous, star-studded spectacles, blending sport with Hollywood allure. His influence was felt league-wide—introducing cheerleaders, VIP experiences, and turning NBA arenas into entertainment hubs.

Under his leadership, the Lakers secured ten championships and became a global brand. But following his death in 2013, his six children inherited the team and struggled to maintain unity and vision. Internal battles, especially between daughter Jeanie Buss and her brothers, fractured the management. Despite bringing in external investors and NBA icons like Magic Johnson, the team could no longer keep pace with the new billionaire-driven ownership model reshaping the league.

Enter TWG, the investment group that now owns a majority of the Lakers after acquiring Guggenheim Investments. TWG, led by Mark Walter and backed by Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Capital, already controls the Los Angeles Dodgers, Chelsea FC, and has interests in Formula 1. The group’s acquisition of the Lakers signals a shift from local family ownership to a multinational sports empire model.

Like they did with the Dodgers—now one of baseball’s elite franchises—TWG is expected to overhaul Lakers operations, potentially surrounding stars like Luka Dončić with top-tier talent and infrastructure. The goal is clear: restore the Lakers to dominance, using vast capital and elite professional management.

The sale couldn’t come at a more strategic time for the NBA. With two new expansion teams on the horizon and the recent sale of the Boston Celtics for $6 billion, the $10 billion Lakers valuation raises the financial bar for future franchises.

The windfall from expansion fees, which won’t be shared with players, will inject billions into the league’s ownership pool. Yet, as is often the case, the biggest winners will be the billionaires—not the fans, and not necessarily the players. The story of the Lakers’ sale is, ultimately, a broader American tale: a homegrown legacy built on sweat and vision passed to a new era of global capital and corporate control.

End of an Era: Lakers Sold for $10 Billion as Jerry Buss’s Legacy Transforms into Global Corporate Asset

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