This NBA offseason has been arguably the most chaotic of all time. Massive trades have occurred, such as Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Heat and Jaylen Brown to the 76ers. No news was bigger than LeBron James leaving the Lakers, and heading back east
James joins the Philadelphia 76ers to form a loaded contender alongside stars like Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and fellow first-year Sixer Jaylen Brown. When James announced he was leaving LA, there was some confusion. Luka Doncic is one of the four best players on the planet right now. The Lakers were a top-four seed in the loaded Western Conference in 2025
Advertisement
MORE:Shams Charania responds to Jeanie Buss’ lawyer regarding dispute in reporting of Lakers sale
The timing felt weird because it was hard to imagine James finding a better situation to win a championship. That’s not the case anymore now that James is back East. The move already looked genius after seeing what the starting five looks like. The 76ers also have depth pieces like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Anfernee Simons on the roster
Now the move looks even better, because the scene in Los Angeles is as weird as it’s ever been. Less than one year after Mark Walter bought the Lakers for $10 billion in October 2025, he flips the Lakers. Walter sold his stake in the Lakers in August for $12.5 billion to former Disney CEO Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner. The biggest and most unexpected sale in sports history
MORE:Jeanie Buss opposes siblings’ vote to sell remaining Lakers stake
Advertisement
The sale reportedly came together within 72 hours as Kushner approached Walter about the Lakers. The suddenness of the sale was evident, but now there’s even more drama around the league’s biggest franchise
Jeanie Buss fighting the sale of remaining Lakers stake
Feb 22, 2026; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers governor Jeanie Buss watches at unveiling of statue of former Lakers coach Pat Riley. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES
Iger and Kushner are reportedly in the process of buying the remaining 17.8% stake in the Lakers that the Buss family still holds. However, Jeanie Buss, the Lakers’ governor and daughter of longtime owner Jerry Buss, is fighting the sale
Advertisement
Five members of the Buss family voted in favor of selling the remaining stake, while Jeanie is the lone Buss who’s not in favor
MORE:Â Luka Doncic wants to ‘build something special’ with Lakers’ new owners
On Sportscenter, ESPN’s Ramona Shelbourne said, “This will end up in court.” Jeanie is invoking a 2017 court order that states a sale can’t be finalized by the co-trustees without her consent
It’s also important to note that selling the remaining stake would mean Jeanie Buss could no longer serve as governor of the Lakers. An NBA franchise governor must have at least a 15% stake in the team
Advertisement
Anyone reading this might be thinking, “What does this have to do with LeBron James?” Nothing directly, but it certainly makes his exit look smarter
Why LeBron James’ exit from LA looks genius now
Feb 5, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) drives past Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES
Not only is James in a better situation basketball-wise, but if there’s one thing a superstar needs, it’s stability. Ownership changes within a franchise can alter how a team is run. Now, in less than a calendar year, the Lakers are in new hands once again
Advertisement
Now, James is in stable hands; Josh Harris has owned the 76ers for 15 years. The 76ers also have one of the best executives in modern basketball history in Bob Myers, who was the GM for the Golden State Warriors during their dynasty run
There’s no confirmation that James knew of anything going on with the Lakers’ ownership. That said, there’s more stability in Philly than in LA. There’s certainly no superstar who would choose to be a player under such a public and complicated ownership dispute like the Lakers currently have
— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead —
