Luka Doncic was not consulted before the historic sale of the Los Angeles Lakers from Mark Walter to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger for $12.5 billion was made public, according to a new report from ESPN.
While Doncic was quick to react with a post on social media following the news, as team insider Dave McMenamin reported for ESPN, the Lakers franchise star was in the dark about what is now the fourth sale of a team he’s been a part of in his first eight seasons in the NBA.
Along with detailing the impact of the Lakers’ sale on Doncic, McMenamin offered key details on how the Slovenian star will go forward with the team now under new ownership for the second time in just over a year.
Lakers Star Was Not Told Of Historic Sale
GettyLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MAY 11: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers speaks to the media during a press conference after Game Four of the Second Round of the NBA Western Conference Playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Crypto.com Arena on May 11, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
While also describing reactions to the news of the Lakers’ sale from across the league, the ESPN writer outlined the Luka Doncic of it all in his latest article, beginning with the report that the star was in the dark on ownership changing hands once again, but adding that he has plans of meeting with the new group soon.
“Doncic was not consulted about the sale, sources told ESPN, but he plans to have a videoconference call with Iger and Kushner next week from Slovenia as he prepares to host his teammates for a minicamp in his home country,” McMenamin wrote.
Along with seeing Dallas Mavericks ownership shift from Mark Cuban to Patrick Dumont, Doncic has also seen the Lakers move from the hands of the Buss family to Mark Walter, now to Kushner and Iger.
“The only constant in life is change,” a source close to Doncic told ESPN, per McMenamin. “He’s had five [team owners] now.”
Despite the massive change, according to one source, regardless of how impactful the $12.5 billion sale will be off -the-court dynamics, players remain somewhat unchanged.
“I don’t think this type of thing is really noticeable to the players,” the source said to ESPN. “They got their team, they got their coach, they got their GM. They meet as a group. So, it’s not like the owners really are peering in on things. You just assume that the owners have the funding and the desire to win. And I think that’s pretty much what all the players care about — whether it’s Walter or Iger or Kushner or whomever else. ‘Are you going to give us the resources to win?’”
So, though Doncic wasn’t privy to the bombshell report of the sale, that might not matter. Yes, it could be important to have the star of the team be in the loop, but if it won’t impact his play or day-to-day, perhaps having him react to the news like everyone else isn’t the worst thing in the world.
Luka Doncic Breaks Silence After The News
GettyPHOENIX, ARIZONA – OCTOBER 14: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts during the first half of the NBA preseason game against the Phoenix Suns at Mortgage Matchup Center on October 14, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Kelsey Grant/Getty Images)
Doncic remains the franchise centerpiece for the Lakers, but his forming a strong relationship with the new ownership group is important.
Shortly after news broke of the Lakers’ sale, Doncic took to social media for the second time since moving to Los Angeles to proclaim his excitement amid the changes.
“Being a Laker means everything to me, and I’m excited to get back on the court and bring a championship to LA. I’ve gotten used to big changes over these last few years, but I know that no matter what, there is no limit to the potential of this iconic franchise. I look forward to meeting Josh and Bob so we can get to work building something special in LA together,” he wrote on X.
Still, the question remains of whether this new ownership group will allow the Lakers to spend more in free agency to give Doncic a title-worthy team.
Only time will tell if that can come to fruition, but for now, the Lakers are changing hands once again in the biggest sale of a professional sports franchise in history, news Doncic learned at the same time as the rest of the world.
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