At a recent news conference following the Board of Governors meeting in New York, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver stated that there were no warning signs regarding Mark Walter before he took over as majority owner of the Lakers.
Walter, who has been the principal owner of the Dodgers since 2012 and a minority owner of the Lakers since 2021, finalized the purchase of the Lakers from the Buss family in June 2025, at a staggering valuation of $10 billion.
However, just three months later, the FBI confiscated Walter’s phone and laptop as part of a broad investigation into his business activities.
By October 2025, Walter had been officially confirmed as the Lakers’ majority owner despite these ongoing investigations.
“I can say that when we considered Mark Walter for the principal governor role, he was already a minority owner of the Lakers. We conducted a thorough vetting process,” Silver explained. “We consulted various governmental agencies, a well-regulated insurance agency, and other leagues with which he is involved. We didn’t find any red flags.”
After less than a year in charge, Walter sold the Lakers to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger in August for a remarkable $12.5 billion.
Meanwhile, investigations into Walter’s business empire continue.
In late August, Walter’s holding company, TWG Global, issued a statement defending its business practices and denying any misconduct.
“As of now, these are allegations,” Silver remarked. “There are matters being investigated. It’s important to note that Walter wasn’t being looked into by our league when he decided to sell. I only learned of the agreement during discussions with the buyers.”
