Could sale of Lakers point to Dodgers' concern over looming MLB lockout?

When Los Angeles Dodgers owner Mark Walter purchased the Los Angeles Lakers last summer, the expectation was that the Lakers would run the Dodgers' playbook in their return to being the topic of conversation in the NBA. Fast forward one year later and Walter has already sold the Lakers.

ESPN's Ramona Shelbourne reports that Josh Kushner and Bob Iger are set to purchase the Lakers from Walter for $12.5 billion. For reference, Walter purchased the Lakers for $10 million from the Buss family last summer.

A net profit of $2.5 billion is nothing to scoff at, but the timing of the deal is odd, considering Walter is less than a year removed from taking ownership of the Lakers. Making things even more bizarre is what Walters' statement on the deal reads as if he's owned the Lakers for the past decade, or there was some threat of the team moving out of Los Angeles.

"Owning the Los Angeles Lakers has been one of the great honors of my life -- an extraordinary investment, but what I will carry with me is the community, the fans, and a city that treats this team as family," Walter said. "I am grateful to Jeanie Buss, the Buss family, the players, and the staff for welcoming me into this chapter. The Lakers belong to Los Angeles, and I have every confidence the best is still ahead."

Mark Walter's oddly-timed sale of the Lakes points to looming Dodgers drama

It's hard not to think about the implication for the Dodgers as a result of this season. The simplest explanation could be Walters looking to find revenue where we can, considering Major League Baseball is headed toward a work stoppage on December 1. Perhaps it's his version of a war chest.

But even that doesn't really add up. It would be owners who would lock the players out in December, and while there could be financial losses in 2027, it would be losses on profit.

If we're going to dive into cynical territory, Walter has been in headlines for the wrong reasons in recent weeks. Just last month, it was reported that Walter's empire is being investigated for potential loan fraud. It's hard not to make the connection between that and Walters finalizing a sale of the Lakers after the NBA approved his ownership last October.

For now, this all appears to be a matter of coincidence and there aren't any direct ties to how the Dodgers have operated. That said, questions will be raised.

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