They’ll be left to the Los Angeles Lakers to eliminate them in the playoffs, but they still have a stunning announcement to steal the lightning of the NBA season.
The Los Angeles Lakers are set to be sold by longtime owner The Buss Family, and Mark Walter is set to become the new owner of the most renowned franchise in NBA history.
While Magic Johnson’s response to the Lakers’ sales has already been there, Paul Pierce made even bigger claims after the deal.
He predicted a chain reaction to follow record-breaking sales.
In many ways, the Lakers themselves are part of a recent wave of change in ownership across the NBA, from the Dallas Mavericks to the Boston Celtics and the Phoenix Suns before it.
What makes this sale particularly surprising is that Bass’ family is a long-term custodian of the franchise, and the kind of thing that is believed to be there forever.
At the same time, the Lakers, who won nearly $10 billion for their team, are record numbers that will roll their eyes anywhere else.
So, talking on his YouTube channel, Paul Pierce predicted post-sales chain reaction events that could change the NBA.
He said: “I think we’ll see a new era of ownership in basketball, with the Dallas Mavericks getting a new owner, the Boston Celtics getting a new owner, and now they’re getting the Lakers.
“The value of the franchise is definitely around the board. You wouldn’t be surprised if you started looking at more franchises (for sale). Many of these franchises were purchased 30 years ago.”
Pierce added that the bus family is one of the last wreckages of long-term owners who have run their teams like family.
But now that such a large amount of sales are secured, expect new owner Mark Walter to run it like a business. This may be bad news for fans.
Anyway, it’s not like the Lakers were a nonprofit for charity, but Walter hopes to benefit from his investments and fast times.
At the same time, other owners, especially those who bought the team a long time ago, are hoping to explore potential sales options now that the new mark is set to negotiate.
It leads to increasingly long-term owners gaining bags, selling teams and being replaced by laser-centric business professionals.
A security guard exchange has come to the NBA and fans may not like it.