Ownership twist: Kushner alone at the top, Iger as ops face
Charles Gasparino of the New York Post reported late Sept. 3 that Josh Kushner is expected to be the franchise’s sole controlling shareholder if the pending purchase of Mark Walter’s majority stake closes. That structure would require Kushner to personally hold at least 15% of the team under NBA rules—about $1.875 billion at the reported $12.5 billion valuation.
Bob Iger, earlier often billed as a co-buyer in headlines, is instead expected to be a minority owner and alternate governor who leads day-to-day management—not the team’s governor. A person close to Kushner told Gasparino: “Bob will not be the control person.” The Post also says Iger may sit in a larger group buying smaller minority stakes. These are source-backed reports, not a closed transaction: the deal remains subject to NBA Board of Governors approval.
New York Post · Lakers Nation (summary) · Sportando
Kuminga: Timberwolves signing is official
Jonathan Kuminga’s two-year deal with Minnesota is now on the NBA’s official transaction log, Hoops Rumors reported Sept. 3 evening. Terms have been reported around $12.4–$13 million over two years with a second-year player option; treat exact dollars as reported. Minnesota used the taxpayer mid-level after creating room via a Josh Green trade.
Secondary coverage says Kuminga turned down a larger Lakers offer to bet on a starting role and future free agency in Minnesota. That ends months of L.A. pursuit chatter. Fifth-starter speculation in Los Angeles now runs through names already on the roster (Jake LaRavia, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Matisse Thybulle, Ziaire Williams among those floated)—analyst projection, not a confirmed Redick lineup.
Court and BOG calendar unchanged
Jeanie Buss’s Los Angeles Superior Court petition to block her five siblings from selling the family’s ~17.8% stake remains pending. Attorney Adam Streisand asked Sept. 1 to postpone the Nov. 5 hearing because of Europe speaking engagements through Nov. 18; no new hearing date is confirmed here. Claims in the petition are allegations, not findings. Separately, the Walter→Kushner majority sale is still aimed at the Sept. 15–16 Board of Governors meetings in New York, with Kushner still needing to divest limited Heat equity per prior reporting.
MyNewsLA (delay request) · Los Angeles Times (petition)
Watch next
- Sept. 15–16 NBA Board of Governors (majority-sale approval process).
- Any new date on the Buss family-stake hearing after Streisand’s delay request.
- Opening-night fifth starter and any late roster cut before camp (~late September).