This NBA offseason has been arguably essentially the most chaotic of all time. Huge trades have occurred, reminiscent of Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Warmth and Jaylen Brown to the 76ers. No information was larger than LeBron James leaving the Lakers, and heading again east.
James joins the Philadelphia 76ers to kind a loaded contender alongside stars like Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and fellow first-year Sixer Jaylen Brown. When James introduced he was leaving LA, there was some confusion. Luka Doncic is without doubt one of the 4 greatest gamers on the planet proper now. The Lakers had been a top-four seed within the loaded Western Convention in 2025.
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The timing felt bizarre as a result of it was onerous to think about James discovering a greater scenario to win a championship. That’s not the case anymore now that James is again East. The transfer already regarded genius after seeing what the beginning 5 appears like. The 76ers even have depth items like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Anfernee Simons on the roster.
Now the transfer appears even higher, as a result of the scene in Los Angeles is as bizarre because it’s ever been. Lower than one yr after Mark Walter purchased the Lakers for $10 billion in October 2025, he flips the Lakers. Walter offered his stake within the Lakers in August for $12.5 billion to former Disney CEO Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner. The most important and most sudden sale in sports activities historical past.
MORE: Jeanie Buss opposes siblings’ vote to promote remaining Lakers stake
The sale reportedly got here collectively inside 72 hours as Kushner approached Walter in regards to the Lakers. The suddenness of the sale was evident, however now there’s much more drama across the league’s largest franchise.
Jeanie Buss preventing the sale of remaining Lakers stake
Iger and Kushner are reportedly within the course of of shopping for the remaining 17.8% stake within the Lakers that the Buss household nonetheless holds. Nevertheless, Jeanie Buss, the Lakers’ governor and daughter of longtime proprietor Jerry Buss, is preventing the sale.
5 members of the Buss household voted in favor of promoting the remaining stake, whereas Jeanie is the lone Buss who’s not in favor.
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On Sportscenter, ESPN’s Ramona Shelbourne mentioned, “This may find yourself in court docket.” Jeanie is invoking a 2017 court docket order that states a sale can’t be finalized by the co-trustees with out her consent.
It’s additionally vital to notice that promoting the remaining stake would imply Jeanie Buss may now not function governor of the Lakers. An NBA franchise governor will need to have at the very least a 15% stake within the workforce.
Anybody studying this is perhaps pondering, “What does this need to do with LeBron James?” Nothing immediately, but it surely actually makes his exit look smarter.
Why LeBron James’ exit from LA appears genius now
Not solely is James in a greater scenario basketball-wise, but when there’s one factor a famous person wants, it’s stability. Possession modifications inside a franchise can alter how a workforce is run. Now, in lower than a calendar yr, the Lakers are in new fingers as soon as once more.
Now, James is in secure fingers; Josh Harris has owned the 76ers for 15 years. The 76ers even have top-of-the-line executives in fashionable basketball historical past in Bob Myers, who was the GM for the Golden State Warriors throughout their dynasty run.
There’s no affirmation that James knew of something happening with the Lakers’ possession. That mentioned, there’s extra stability in Philly than in LA. There’s actually no famous person who would select to be a participant below such a public and sophisticated possession dispute just like the Lakers presently have.
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