Winners and Losers From Lakers Massive Sale to Mark Walter

The Los Angeles Lakers have been sold from the Buss family to Mark Walter, the principal owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. For a valuation of about $10 billion, Walker will control the team.

This was something that was very surprising to NBA fans who don't follow the team, but not quite as much to Lakers fans. If the Buss family was going to sell, it was always set up that Walter would be the guy to buy.

With the sale now announced, it's a good time to determine who will come out as winners and who will come out as losers from this transaction.

Winner: Luka Doncic and LeBron James

The complaint from Lakers fans has been that the Lakers don't dump money into the roster like the Warriors or the Celtics have in the last few years. They pay the luxury tax, but they don't go all-in.

That could change now that Walter is funding the team. He has done that with the Dodgers, and that has turned them into multi-time World Series champions.

Luka Doncic and LeBron James stand to benefit from Walter spending more money to improve the roster around those two. Doncic will benefit longer because he'll be on the team for the next decade or so.

Loser: Rob Pelinka

Pelinka is someone who has polarized Lakers fans. While he did execute the Doncic trade, which was one of the most shocking trades in league history, fans are frustrated with how he has built the roster.

Walter has a track record with the Dodgers of changing who is in charge of making team decisions in order to become a championship-level team. He could do the same with Pelinka.

More Lakers news: Insider Questions Whether Lakers' Mark Walter Will Keep Rob Pelinka, JJ Redick

Winner: Jeanie Buss

Not only does Buss get to sell her franchise for the highest price in the history of sports, but she gets to keep control of the team. She will still be the Governor.

For how long that is remains unclear at this time, but she will ultimately continue to make basketball decisions. For now, she comes out about as good as you can when a franchise is sold.

Loser: Wyc Grousbeck

The last NBA franchise to be sold was the Boston Celtics. They did not get sold for nearly as much as the Lakers did. Wyc Groubseck sold the franchise for just $6 billion.

Considering these two franchises are widely thought of as the two most valuable teams in the league, there is clearly a big gap in their valuations. Grousbeck has to be kicking himself. He could have gotten more!

More Los Angeles Lakers news: Lakers are Joining 'Modern Era' Following Massive Sale, says Brian Windhorst

Shams Charania Has Strong Prediction for Lakers' Retaining Jeanie Buss

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