6 ‘Magic’ pieces of advice for new Lakers owners Bob Iger, Joshua…
Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner have some big choices to make.
They’re now the proud owners of one of the most heralded groups in sports activities, the 17-time champion Los Angeles Lakers, whom they purchased from Mark Walter for $12.5 billion on Wednesday morning.
It’s unclear what their plan is yet, however right here’s some advice for the new leaders of the darling franchise of the NBA.
1. Surround your self with skilled people whom you belief
ESPN’s Joshua Kushner and Disney’s CEO Bob Iger are all smiles as Novak Djokovic of Serbia performs against Taylor Fritz of USA during the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, in Queen, New York. (JASON SZENES) JASON SZENES/ NY POST
While Walter had the blueprint on the right way to flip a franchise into successful after serving to the Dodgers win three World Series titles after buying the team in 2012, Iger and Kushner lack that playbook.
Iger is the former CEO of Disney. Kushner is a enterprise capitalist. They need assistance. They want trusted advisors.
It stays to be seen whether or not they’ll build that belief with Lakers’ president of basketball operations and normal supervisor Rob Pelinka, who overhauled the Lakers’ roster this summer time round Luka Doncic. ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith floated the thought of pursuing Bob Myers, who helped the Warriors turn into the league’s modern-day dynasty before turning into the president of sports activities for Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment.
Iger and Kushner have to determine out who they respect and belief, and they should closely depend on that individual, regardless of whether or not they make a change or preserve the established order.
2. Make Luka Doncic completely happy
Luka Doncic #77 and Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers maintain palms during a time out in the second half of a game against the Chicago Bulls at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Los Angeles, California. (Getty Images North America) Getty Images
The last 18 months have been disorienting for Doncic. He was shockingly traded to the Lakers in February 2025, and has already skilled two possession adjustments along with his new franchise.
The 27-year-old celebrity, who completed fourth in MVP voting last season, deserves a bit of stability, eh?
Doncic is very motivated to win his first championship after being dealt by the Mavericks, with whom he thought he’d spend his total profession. He had a major say in the personnel adjustments this summer time. And he must really feel as though the Lakers have a clear course and a plan to place him on a course to win a title.
It’s now Iger’s and Kushner’s job to make that occur ahead of Doncic’s participant possibility for the 2028-29 season.
3. Keep JJ Redick
Redick is the final basketball sicko. He’s obsessed. After losses, he has acknowledged that he goes right into a darkish basement and rewatches games advert nauseam.
The gamers like him. And he’s the first coach to have back-to-back 50-win seasons since Phil Jackson did so in 2009-2010 and 2010-2011.
The Lakers employed Redick in 2024 even though he didn’t have any prior skilled teaching experience. He has since confirmed that he has an elite mixture of a high basketball IQ and the ability to get by to gamers. That’s a uncommon discover.
4. Honor Walter’s association with Jeanie Buss
Mark Walter, left, a majority proprietor of the Los Angeles Lakers, and Jeanie Buss, minority proprietor of the Los Angeles Lakers, discuss as the Lakers play the Chicago Bulls at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Thursday, March 12, 2026. (Los Angeles Times) Los Angeles Times through Getty Images
After Walter purchased the Lakers from the Buss household following their 47-year run as the head of the franchise, he assured Buss that she’d stay governor for not less than 5 years.
Apparently, that deal will stay in place.
“We have every intention to honor the agreement that was made between Mark and Jeanie,” Iger told the California Post’s Khobi Price. “If things change, they’ll change. But we’re going into this with enormous respect and appreciation for who she is and what she represents in the organization.”
There’s an eyebrow-raising caveat there.
But make no mistake: Iger can be smart to maintain Buss on board. She is Laker basketball. She watched her father remodel the franchise into one of the most profitable and enjoyable organizations in sports activities. She then took the reins and helped the team win a title in 2020. She has relationships. Institutional data. Experience. She’s beloved by followers. Keep her.
5. Go after Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson speaks to reporters previous to an NBA basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday, April 10, 2019, in Los Angeles. Johnson abruptly give up as the Lakers’ president of basketball operations, citing his need to return to the less complicated life he loved as a rich businessman and beloved former participant before taking cost of the franchise just over two years in the past. (Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) AP
The Lakers have to infuse a company that has only received one championship in the last 16 years with some of its outdated magic.
Who better to do that than Magic himself?
If they introduced him on as an advisor, they might seamlessly assist bridge the outdated and new orders.
Johnson beforehand served as the Lakers’ president of basketball operations before stunningly stepping down in April 2019 because of a front-office tradition he deemed poisonous. Johnson and Pelinka have since mended fences.
Johnson received 5 championships with the Lakers. He may play an important position in serving to steer the Lakers, in addition to serving to train Doncic the right way to climb the mountaintop.
6. Keep constructing out the data and analytics departments
Walter and Co. had overhauled the Lakers’ entrance workplace and had been strongly emphasizing the want to enhance their data and analytics departments so they might make the sharpest choices in the draft and free company.
He did the same in baseball to splendid success.
Iger and Kushner ought to forge ahead on that path.
The Lakers wanted to modernize. Under Walter, the Lakers had been constructing a biomechanics lab, new motion labs and a recovery lab.
The Lakers’ new owners ought to ensure the team has all of the assets on and off the court docket to return to greatness.
Stay up to date with the latest action and trending tales from the world of sports activities! C-lebrity.com brings you the freshest sports activities news, highlights, and skilled insights — all rigorously curated to maintain you informed and engaged. From major league updates to inspiring athlete tales, we cowl it multi functional place.
Visit C-lebrity.com daily for complete coverage of the games, tournaments, and sporting moments that matter most — your final source for the whole lot sports activities and leisure.