Luka Doncic released a statement on X in response to news that the Los Angeles Lakers will be sold by the Buss family to Mark Walter at a $10 billion valuation. As part of the sale agreement, Jeanie Buss will remain as governor of the Lakers for an indeterminate period of time.
“The Lakers are an amazing organization,” wrote Doncic. “I’m looking forward to meeting Mark and excited about the future. I am also grateful to Jeanie and the Buss family for welcoming me to LA, and I’m happy that Jeanie will continue to be involved. I look forward to working with both of them to win championships!”
The Lakers acquired Doncic at the trade deadline and are widely expected to sign him to a long-term extension this offseason. Doncic is no longer eligible to sign the five-year, $345 million supermax that would have been available to him with the Dallas Mavericks, but he can pick between a four-year, $229 million extension, or a three-year, $165 million deal with a player option for 2028-29 that would allow him to sign a five-year, $418 million deal in 2028 when he reached 10 years of service. Doncic becomes extension eligible on August 2nd.
“You always want the wealthiest owners, so that speaks for itself,” a source close to Doncic told ESPN. “And his track record speaks for itself. … [Doncic] wants to win. This owner’s proven that he wants to win. So this is a plus-plus.”
When Walter purchased the Los Angeles Dodgers, his group invested heavily into the infrastructure of the franchise that has led to two World Series wins since 2020. The Lakers are expected to modernize their operation and invest similarly under Walter’s ownership as opposed to the family business model of the Buss siblings.