The Los Angeles Lakers are undoubtedly one of the most iconic franchises in NBA history. Aside from being in a massive market, the Lakers have also won the second-most NBA championships in league history.But after Kobe Bryant’s retirement in 2016, the Lakers went through a rough patch until LeBron James signed with the Purple and Gold as a free agent in 2018.
Fast forward to 2026, James and the Lakers have parted ways, as Luka Doncic has become the cornerstone star of the team. But the bigger news is Mark Walter selling his majority stake for $12.5 billion less than two years after purchasing the team.
LeBron James helped balloon the LA Lakers’ worth
The $12.5 billion deal broke the NBA record, which was previously held by the Lakers when Walter purchased the team from the Buss family for $10 billion.
Now, with James gone from the team, many fans are claiming that Doncic being the face of the franchise helped Walter make a $2.5 billion profit on his investment.
While Doncic is a phenomenal player, if we compare how much the Lakers were worth in 2018 to now, it shows the insane impact of the King on the organization’s valuation.
Keeping that in mind, the Lakers were reportedly worth about $3.3 billion when James signed with the team in 2018. With the organization now worth $12.5 billion, it means LBJ had a role in a $9.1 billion valuation growth of the Lakers.
After all, James was the face of the franchise throughout his eight-year stint with the Lakers and even led them to an NBA Championship in 2020.