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As Lakers Face Crucial Decisions, Who’s Really Running the Team?

September 4, 2025

As they head into what could be a franchise-defining season that could be LeBron James last and Luka Doncic’s full first in purple and gold, the big question everybody is asking is who’s really running the Lakers right now?

Why that’s so important is the Lakers currently face critical decisions on their future direction as they seek to win their #18 title this year while also trying to construct a sustainable championship team around Luka Doncic. Under Jeanie Buss, the Lakers have never been considered as one of the better run or professionally managed NBA franchises. Their team decision-making has been fair at best and the success mainly attributed to location.

All that changes with Mark Walter, who’s ownership transformed the Los Angeles Dodgers into the world’s most successful major league baseball team, attracting the best players and winning 2 of the last 5 World Series.
Suddenly the mom-and-pop Lakers who always cut costs to save expenses now have their own aggressive billionaire owner who will spend whatever’s needed to find the best people and MLB players to win championships.

Right now, the Lakers plan to wait until midseason before trading for a defensive starting small forward and quality backup center. Their plan is to be able to offer 3 first round picks to replace LeBron James next draft day.
These are the kinds of decisions that are crucial to the future of the Lakers and should be being made by Mark Walter and his team rather than Jeanie Buss, Rob Pelinka and their close knit inner circle of long-time advisors.

What the Lakers need is the visionary ownership of Mark Walter who’s willing to go all-in to win championships by building an elite organization with a unified goal and vision for how to build a sustainable dynasty.

1. MARK WALTER WAS LAKERS INSIDER, NOT OUTSIDER

…

The difference between the sale of the Lakers to Mark Walter and the sales of the Celtics to Bill Chisholm’s group and Mavericks to the Adelson and Dumont families was Mark Walter was already a Lakers’ minority owner.

Back in the summer of 2021, Mark Walter and Todd Boehly, the highly successful owners of the World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers, purchased Phil Anschutz’s 27% minority ownership stake in the Los Angeles Lakers.
Credit Jeanie Buss for her vision and projecting sports entrepreneur Mark Walter as the perfect successor to the Buss family as the L.A. Lakers’ next great owner. Four years later, Walter bought majority interest in Lakers.

The Celtics and Mavericks were sold to outsiders, who moved quickly to take control of their new franchises, whereas Mark Walter already owned 18% of the Lakers in 2021 before he bought the 51% share from the Busses.
Mark Walter now owns 78% of the Lakers, which is worth close to $8 billion today with the franchise value now pegged at a world record setting $10 billion. The Busses still own 15% and other parties own the remaining 7%.

That Mark Walter was already a Lakers investor not only gave him a big advantage in receiving inside information over the last four years but also a proven level of confidence in Jeanie Buss and her management team.
Unlike the Dallas and Boston new owners, Mark Walter does not need ramp up time to figure out what to do. He already has a plan for the Lakers based on what he did with the Dodgers and what he’s seen the last four year.

Regardless of how long Jeanie Buss and her brothers and other long-time Lakers’ employees remain in the organization, Mark Walter did not spend $5 billion for 51% of the Lakers for somebody else to make the decisions.

2. WHO’S MAKING THE DECISIONS RIGHT NOW MATTERS

…

The problem with Lakers’ ownership and management in the Jeanie Buss era has been the lack of a visionary force with the personal charisma and executive vision to drive the team to a sustainable championship future.

Since Jerry Buss, the Lakers have relied more on their legacy, popularity, luck, and coveted L.A. location than embracing any specific basketball philosophy or strategy other than winning now with the biggest names.
But in just one year, the Lakers somehow someway landed the franchise’s next superstar coach, player, and owner. JJ Redick, Luka Doncic, and Mark Walter could be the Lakers new Pat Riley, Kobe Bryant, and Jerry Buss.

There is no way that Mark Walter is not going to be the main shot caller for the Lakers as they try to win a final ring for LeBron while building a future juggernaut by surrounding Luka Doncic with a championship rotation.
Despite tougher roster building rules in the NBA, Mark Walter is not going to need extensive ramp up time to take over the Lakers. He already knows everybody in the organization and where his wealth and vision can help.

The main mega decisions Mark Walter and the Lakers must make is how to get the elite starting defensive wing and backup center they need without giving up a first round pick so they can offer three picks next draft day.
Here’s where we may see Mark Walter and his team overrule Jeanie Buss and Rob Pelinka and decide trading Austin Reaves is the smart way for the Lakers to upgrade their roster to championship status while keeping pick.

Who’s making the decisions for the Lakers right now is critically important. Despite stories otherwise, Mark Walter is now in full control of the Los Angeles Lakers and will be the one driving every major franchise decision.

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7 Comments

LakerTom
6 months, 1 week ago

As Lakers Face Crucial Decisions, Who’s Really Running the Team? As they head into what could be a franchise-defining season that could be LeBron James last and Luka Doncic’s full first in purple and gold, the big question everybody is asking is who’s really running the Lakers… pic.twitter.com/L1Z7wOib3s— LakerTom (@LakerTom) September 4, 2025
LakerTom
6 months, 1 week ago

As Lakers Face Crucial Decisions, Who’s Really Running the Team? 1. MARK WALTER WAS LAKERS INSIDER, NOT OUTSIDERThe difference between the sale of the Lakers to Mark Walter and the sales of the Celtics to Bill Chisholm’s group and Mavericks to the Adelson and Dumont families… pic.twitter.com/5nMLLa8ah8— LakerTom (@LakerTom) September 4, 2025
LakerTom
6 months, 1 week ago

As Lakers Face Crucial Decisions, Who’s Really Running the Team? 2. WHO’S MAKING THE DECISIONS RIGHT NOW MATTERSThe problem with Lakers’ ownership and management in the Jeanie Buss era has been the lack of a visionary force with the personal charisma and executive vision to… pic.twitter.com/fl6ZWZGIux— LakerTom (@LakerTom) September 4, 2025
Jamie Sweet
6 months, 1 week ago

It’s kinda funny that you wrote a whole article that embraces your view of what the Lakers could be while basically ignoring everything has (or more importantly has not) done as the majority shareholder of the Dodgers.
- Jamie Sweet
  6 months, 1 week ago
  
  He’s totally uninvolved in day-to-day operations. Because it’s MLB the money he has matters A LOT more because no cap. No cap allows you to sign 7 All Stars, 3 Cy Young candidates and top tier role players. That simply can’t happen in the NBA unless the next CBA changes things drastically.
  - Jamie Sweet
    6 months, 1 week ago
    
    If one is honest, Mark Williams May end up being a factor in talent signing elsewhere due to his politics and the fact that he profits off of ICE detention camps and the current Executive branch of government. Hard to see pro players embracing a detention camp owner for an administration that is white washing history and saying “That’s my team!” So unless that changes snd fast he may not get the typical owner honeymoon: NBA players and fans are much more concerned with that kind of thing than the stereotypical MLB fan and player.
    - Jamie Sweet
      6 months, 1 week ago
      
      Anyhoo, I expect Jeannie to stay and call the shots. She wouldn’t have sold otherwise:

LakerTom
6 months ago

DP, it's not that I don't think Reaves is going to get better or that he is not a star. It's just that there's no way without using AR or a pick to get the kind of upgrades we need at starting small forward and backup center. With two top-10 players, this could actually be our… pic.twitter.com/WrU6QxfUi2— LakerTom (@LakerTom) September 8, 2025
Jamie Sweet
6 months ago

I would say that’s true for as long as LeBron is on the team. That time is nearing it’s end. When LeBron leaves or retires Reaves suddenly becomes much more valuable. We’ll need a secondary scorer/playmaker and the fact that Reaves can get his own shot while making plays for others and will likely be retained for what will eventually look like a decent bargain of a deal by the end of it means it makes no sense to trade him at his current rate because the return on the talent would be really awful.

Too many talented players have been let go for zero compensation. The Lakers will have the cap space to meet any outside offer, should they so choose, and I’d be astounded if they didn’t come up to whatever the league decides he’s worth next summer.
- LakerTom
  6 months ago
  
  I would agree that Reaves skillset becomes more valuable when LeBron is gone but his salary and need to start make it difficult to stagger Doncic and Reaves, which would be the optimum solution. Key imo will be how the Lakers starting lineup fares. Can they outscore what their defense allows? If not, Reaves is gone.
  
  As to waiting until his salary is larger to trade him, that does make sense if the Lakers trade for a second superstar. My preference in trading Reaves is to trade him now for young players with great potential like the Kings Keon Ellis and Keegan Murray or one of them along with another first round pick. 2 players who fit better or 1 who fits better and a first round pick. That’s Austin Reaves imo.

LakerTom
6 months ago

From the above article:

Voiding Kawhi Leonard’s contract with the Los Angeles Clippers is not out of the realm of possibility for Adam Silver and the NBA. That was the notion NBA insider Sam Amick put forward during a recent appearance on The Athletic’s NBA Daily.

Amick said, “It was in no uncertain terms told to me that Adam sees salary cap circumvention as the cardinal sin of the NBA. … So, if they’re going to follow through on that energy, … voiding of a player contract is on the table.”

The insider thought if the NBA could prove that Kawhi was influenced to stay with the Clippers and sign team-friendly deals that allowed Los Angeles more flexibility that ‘cuts at the fabric of the league’ that Silver has tried to grow. It would be an opportunity for the NBA commissioner to show he has the ability to throw around an ‘iron fist’ much like his predecessor.

If Leonard’s contract were to be voided, and the desire to continue playing in 2025-26 existed after the dust settled, this is where the Los Angeles Lakers come in. It would offer Rob Pelinka a chance at a borderline superstar for pennies on the dollar.

Lakers getting perfect storm for free agency steal of a lifetime

At this point of the NBA offseason, no teams really have the financial wiggle room to give Leonard the type of contract the Clippers star would otherwise demand. That could play heavily in the favor of the Lakers.

Granted, in the scenario of Leonard hitting free agency, the Lakers would really need to ask themselves if the potential headache is worthwhile. Pablo Torre’s story of alleged wrongdoing certainly does not paint Kawhi in the most favorable light.

However, the Lakers have shown they are willing to run the gamble on risky situations as recently as this offseason. The signing of Deandre Ayton showed that much. The pursuit of Bradley Beal, who had plenty of attitude, injury, and defensive concerns, only reaffirms that.

At the end of the day, this is Kawhi. Getting a substantial discount on a two-time NBA champion and NBA Finals MVP is not something that just happens every offseason.

When Leonard finally pieced things together with his health towards the end of the 2024-25 season, the Clippers star looked elite once more. Kawhi averaged 25.0 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.1 steals per game, shooting 53.7 percent from the field and 40.5 percent from 3-point against the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.

The Lakers would need a consolidation trade before pursuing the potential move. However, those are the type of hoops worth jumping through for a player of Kawhi’s quality.

Los Angeles is still home for Leonard. If the two-way star is forced to abandon the Clippers, the Lakers are the only other game in town.

LakerTom
6 months ago

Dončić who leads EuroBasket at more than 3 steals per game…had 2 steals vs Italy in first 30 seconds.— Iztok Franko (@iztok_franko) September 7, 2025
LakerTom
6 months ago

Luka Dončić:30 points 5 rebounds2 stealsHalftime. pic.twitter.com/SBTRZmsmSp— Luka Updates (@LukaUpdates) September 7, 2025

LakerTom
6 months ago

Dude pic.twitter.com/bHbOtyfVAJ— Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) September 7, 2025
- LakerTom
  6 months ago
  
  That's Miikka Muurinen, an 18-year-old Finnish forward standing at 6'11". For NBA comps, he's often likened to Chet Holmgren for his slim frame, athletic dunks, shot-blocking, and perimeter skills.— Grok (@grok) September 7, 2025

LakerTom
6 months ago

BREAKING: The NBA has hired a law firm to investigate Kawhi Leonard and the Clippers for allegations of league salary cap circumvention by using an endorsement deal with a now-bankrupt environmental company, per The Athletic. pic.twitter.com/bhXBev8OuO— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) September 5, 2025
Jamie Sweet
6 months ago

Not sure where this all lands but I know one thing: the league will add some endorsement clauses into the next CBA lol
LakerTom
6 months ago

"It's far worse than Joe Smith" – Mark Cuban thinks the entire Clippers leadership is done if the Kawhi scandal gets proven https://t.co/lCobg3ANyI— LakerTom (@LakerTom) September 6, 2025

LakerTom
6 months, 1 week ago

From above article:

Luka ramping up, looking great… and a little different

Dončić added another gem to his FIBA résumé with a monster line—37 points, 11 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 steals, and a block—in a win that locked Slovenia into third place in the group and set up a first-round elimination matchup with Italy.

It hasn’t all been smooth sailing this summer. Slovenia dropped more than usual in the prep games, and Dončić looked rusty at times especially against weaker opponents like Belgium and Iceland. But as he usually does, he saved his best for the toughest competition. He torched Poland for 34 points, 9 assists, and 5 steals, followed by 39 points, 9 assists, and 8 rebounds against France, not to mention his head-to-head showdown with Israel.

Luka 2.0, or slimmed down Luka, has been the talk of the summer, and watching his EuroBasket games up close it’s clear how losing 15–25 pounds has unlocked parts of his game we haven’t really seen since the bubble. We’re used to Dončić’s step-backs, pick-and-roll manipulation, and passing brilliance—as on display against Israel—and those very things made him the NBA’s leading scorer in 2024, the year he carried the Mavericks to the Finals. The new, or maybe better improved, part we see with slimmer Luka is the extra burst of energy, agility, and speed. FIBA isn’t as open with film breakdowns as the NBA, but if you watch Luka’s most recent highlight reel, you’ll see exactly what I mean.

Pushing the break at full speed has been one of the most noticeable differences, and you can see it at the 0:53, 1:07, 1:37, and 5:20 marks in the video above. Splitting double teams and getting to the rim is where his improved agility and fluidity have really shown throughout this tournament (see 3:30 mark).

Dončić has also been very engaged and active defensively. Against Israel, we even saw him as an effective weakside help defender, contesting vertically at the rim. The Slovenian 26-year-old leading EuroBasket in scoring at 32.4 points per game is no surprise—but him also ranking first in steals at 3.2 is definitely notable.

And for Lakers fans wanting a glimpse of how the pick-and-roll with Deandre Ayton might look, check out this ridiculous on-target pass at the 4:07 mark.
- Jamie Sweet
  6 months ago
  
  If he adds a decent 1st step he’ll easily average 30.
LakerTom
6 months, 1 week ago

LakerTom
6 months, 1 week ago

Can we teach these kind of passes that Luka is throwing today vs Israel out of the PnR? OMG pic.twitter.com/HaIdHCqsoN— BBALLBREAKDOWN (@bballbreakdown) September 4, 2025