Latest Lakers Regime Change Leaves Key Front-Office Plans in Limbo

The Los Angeles Lakers have been the center of attention in the NBA for all the wrong reasons during the dog days of summer, with the 17-time champions getting sold for a second time in 14 months, followed by an ugly situation brewing between the Buss family and longtime team governor Jeanie Buss.

Mark Walter's sale of the majority stake in the Lakers to Bob Iger and Josh Kushner has sent shockwaves through the NBA and professional sports in general, given the eye-popping $12.5 billion price tag.

The decision to flip the storied franchise after a little more than a year was something no one saw coming, and it has now led to many questions about what the team does from here after a massive overhaul of the Lakers' front office, following the Los Angeles Dodgers’ blueprint for success.

Lakers Cannot Complete ‘Buildout’ of Basketball Ops

According to Dan Woike of The Athletic, the Lakers' ongoing reshaping of the front office and basketball operations can’t be completed until the team's sale is finalized.

According to a pair of league sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to publicly discuss the Lakers’ internal operations, there is a belief around the NBA that the team cannot complete the buildout of its basketball operations department until the ownership situation is resolved.

Although Jeanie Buss’ status as team governor was secured for the next four years after the second sale was announced, she is now in a battle with her five siblings over the sale of their remaining team shares, casting her future in doubt.

Perhaps the most uncertainty lies with longtime general manager Rob Pelinka, whose immediate future with the franchise wasn’t in doubt until the sale to Iger and Kushner.

Apr 18, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka watches during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It remains to be seen if Pelinka will remain with the franchise once Iger and Kushner take full control, as there’s a chance the new ownership duo could choose to overhaul the front office with their vision in mind rather than Walter’s.

Only time will tell what the future holds for Pelinka and the entire Lakers franchise, with so many questions about the team’s direction after yet another regime change.

There could be more changes on the horizon, which could continue to shake things up for the storied franchise in what has become one of the craziest NBA offseasons in recent memory.

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