Jeanie Buss has sold the LA Lakers to sports businessman Mark Walter, ending the Buss family’s nearly five-decade run as owners of the Purple and Gold franchise. With the sale, many speculate that the Lakers would get even richer with a new owner, as they alleged that Buss had been thrifty with spending.
According to NBA insider Zach Lowe, the Buss-owned Lakers refused to invest in Synergy Sports, a data application with advanced statistics and analytics used by 29 other NBA teams, in the past seasons.
“They did not have Synergy Sports, like when 29 other teams had it. They weren’t paying for it,” he said.
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Synergy Sports provides data for NBA teams to better their game and plan against opponents through the use of advanced analytics, among other features. While there are no clear reports about how much it is, Buss, who's worth $1 billion, according to Celebrity Net Worth, was the only owner who didn't invest in it.
The Lakers ended the season in the first round of the playoffs, losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves, despite getting the third seed in the regular season. It was the second straight season the Lakers got bounced out in the first round, and they haven't won the title since 2020.
Under Buss, the 2020 championship is the only title the Lakers got since the death of her father, Jerry Buss, who had purchased the team in 1979. As the new owner, Walter has inherited superstars Luka Doncic and an aging LeBron James in a franchise that has since been known for its glamour.
Lakers legend Magic Johnson lauds Mark Walter’s takeover
As soon as news broke out about Mark Walter’s purchase of the Lakers, he got an avid supporter in Lakers legend Magic Johnson.
Johnson expressed excitement for the franchise and believes that Walter is the best man to take over the Lakers after the Buss family.
“Mark Walter is the best choice and will be the best caretaker of the Laker brand. The proof is in the pudding on what he’s been able to accomplish with the LA Dodgers. Mark has been nothing short of a winner notching 2 World Series and 11 NL West divisional titles in the last 12 years!,” he posted on X (formerly called Twitter).
Aside from his ownership with the Dodgers, he's also a part of the ownership group of the LA Sparks, alongside Johnson.
Jeanie Buss will remain the team governor and a minority owner in the transition to Walter.
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