What Is Jeanie Buss’ Future With the Lakers? That Stays Unclear

Even a number of weeks after Jeanie Buss agreed to promote a majority stake within the Los Angeles Lakers to Mark Walter, her long-term future with the group stays unsure.

A pair of conflicting experiences have emerged on simply how lengthy Buss will stay the governor of the Lakers. In a single report, the Buss household’s settlement with Walter stipulates that Jeanie Buss stays within the governor position for not less than 5 extra years, based on The Athletic. Nonetheless, one other report indicated that Buss’ time period will finish in 2030, per Entrance Workplace Sports activities. 

When information first broke of the Buss household’s resolution to promote the Lakers to Walter in June, it was reported that the plan was for Buss to stay with the group as its governor. Nonetheless, there wasn’t a sign of how lengthy that might be the case.

Walter’s resolution to permit Buss to stay the Lakers’ governor after the sale isn’t unprecedented, however there have been combined outcomes with comparable agreements prior to now. After he agreed to promote his majority stake within the Dallas Mavericks in 2023, Mark Cuban mentioned he would stay the governor. However Patrick Dumont wound up taking that position by the tip of the 2023-24 season. The Boston Celtics even have an identical settlement in place, with Invoice Chisholm’s group permitting departing proprietor Wyc Grousbeck to stay on as governor by means of 2028.

In contrast to these two preparations, although, the Buss household and Walter have a previous working relationship. Walter teamed up with Todd Boehly in 2021 to purchase a 27% stake within the Lakers, which gave him the primary rights to buy the staff if the Buss Household ever agreed to promote their majority stake.

Walter agreed to purchase the bulk stake within the Lakers for a $10 billion valuation, which is the richest buy of a franchise in sports activities historical past. He’s additionally been part of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ possession group since 2012 and has been the first proprietor of Andretti World together with the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks.

Incoming Lakers proprietor Mark Walter has been part of the Dodgers’ possession group for over a decade. (Photograph by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-Information through Getty Photographs)

Since Walter’s settlement to buy the staff in June, there have been a couple of attention-grabbing developments surrounding the Lakers. Most notably, LeBron James’ long-term future with the Lakers seems to be much less sure than Jeanie Buss’. Whereas James picked up his $52 million participant possibility for the 2025-26 season in June, his agent, Wealthy Paul, accompanied that call with an announcement that mentioned James can be “monitoring” the staff’s strikes this offseason.

That assertion has sparked commerce rumors involving James that haven’t actually subsided. As James’ illustration requested the Lakers to make strikes to assist enhance their probabilities of successful a title in 2025-26, their largest was to signal just lately bought-out Portland Path Blazers heart Deandre Ayton to a one-year deal. In addition they added former Sacramento Kings wing Jake LaRavia and re-signed heart Jaxson Hayes, however misplaced ahead Dorian Finney-Smith to the Houston Rockets in free company.

Luka Doncic, whom the Lakers acquired in a shocking commerce with the Mavericks in February, can also be extension-eligible this offseason. Whereas it is unclear if Doncic will signal an extension when he turns into eligible to take action on Aug. 2, he made an announcement of assist for Buss and Walter shortly after the information of the Lakers’ sale in June.

“The Lakers are a tremendous group,” Doncic wrote in an announcement posted to social media. “I’m wanting ahead to assembly Mark and excited concerning the future. I’m additionally grateful to Jeanie and the Buss household for welcoming me to LA, and I’m joyful that Jeanie will proceed to be concerned. I look ahead to working with each of them to win championships!”

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