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The Lakers have stolen all the headlines ahead of Game 6 of the 2025 NBA Finals. Mark Walter’s $10 billion purchase has made the team the most valuable entity in sports. The majority owner of the LA Dodgers has been a minority owner since 2021. He has now finally taken a controlling interest in the most iconic NBA team after four years of waiting in the wings, understanding the workings of the NBA as an owner.
Mark Walter is a very private businessman. Practically nothing is known of his business dealings, outside of communications made by Guggenheim Partners to the media. Walter is 65 years old and has led the Guggenheim Partners with a 20% stake since 2000. Other than their sports dealings, his firm is heavily involved in the insurance industry. His firm has partnered with Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund Mubadala Capital.
With all of this new money incoming, Lakers fans have to feel very excited about their team’s outlook. While the Buss family has been responsible for 11 NBA championships and the cementing of the team as a transcendent international brand, the franchise has always felt out of its depth when compared to teams with more deep-pocketed owners. LeBron James, for instance, has a higher net worth than Jeanie Buss.
Brian Windhorst pointed this out in his morning segment, pointing out how their fortunes can now change in terms of how the purse strings are loosened by the owner and how much expenditure will be made on things outside of roster salaries and basketball operations:
Two big things. First off, the Lakers are about to join the modern era. While they have had incredible success and their brand is enormous, they were ran as a family operation in a league that is run by tech billionaires and hedge fund billionaires, and they run their NBA teams that way and they invest in the infrastructure of the teams that way. The Lakers were behind in that regard and they are, I’m sure, going to get great investment.
"It means that the Lakers are about to join the modern era."@WindhorstESPN thinks the Los Angeles Lakers deal will change the league for the better pic.twitter.com/lFIKR7ZKas
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 19, 2025
How Mark Walter has changed the outlook of the LA Dodgers
Mark Walter personally owns 27% of the Los Angeles Dodgers via Guggenheim Partners after buying his stake in 2012. The firm paid $2.15 billion at the time for an asset valued at $1.4 billion by Forbes. This led to a lot of raised eyebrows at the time, with questions around how he planned to run the team. These questions were put to rest when he appointed Stan Krasten to run the team and turned them into juggernauts.
The Dodgers have made the playoffs for each of the past 12 seasons. During this time, they have recruited world-class talents like Mookie Betts and later, Japanese sensation Shohei Ohtani. The Dodgers returned to the World Series in 2024 after winning it in 2020. They sealed their second World Series after beating the New York Yankees 4-2 last year.
Mark Walter has invested heavily in payroll for the Dodgers. The team led Major League Baseball in payroll during the 2013, 2023 and 2024 seasons. They have signed Ohtani to a whopping 10-year, $700 million deal after he became the most sought-after free agent in league history in late 2023.
They are also paying through their nose to retain Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts. The Dodgers have also recruited one of the most menacing pitching bullpens in league history and currently lead the National League with a 46-29 record.
More must-reads:
- Shaquille O'Neal makes peace with longtime enemy — mostly
- Five-time NBA All-Star announces retirement
- The '2024 NFL rushing TD leaders' quiz
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The 'NBA franchise assist leaders' quiz
Former No. 1-overall NBA Draft pick John Wall hasn’t played in an NBA game since the 2022-23 season, and now he officially won’t play in another. The 34 year old point guard took to social media to announce his retirement from basketball after an 11-year playing career. The Washington Wizards took Wall first-overall in the 2010 NBA Draft out of Kentucky, and he rewarded the franchise with a first-team All-Rookie season, making five All-Star games and a second-team All-Defensive nod in 2014. In total he played nine seasons with the Wizards, averaging 19 points, 9.2 assists and 4.3 rebounds in 573 games. Which brings us to today’s quiz. John Wall is the Wizards all-time leader in both assists and steals. With that being said, can you name every NBA player to lead an NBA franchise in assists? Good luck! Did you like this quiz? Are there any quizzes you’d like to see us make in the future? Let us know your thoughts at quizzes@yardbarker.com, and make sure to subscribe to our Quiz of the Day Newsletter for daily quizzes sent right to your email!
What teams are asking about Commanders’ Brian Robinson Jr. amid trade interest
After reports surrounding Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr.’s imminent exit amid trade interest, that notion was confirmed this week. Coach Dan Quinn confirmed the Commanders’ plans for Robinson Jr. as he was also inactive in Monday’s 31-17 preseason loss against the Cincinnati Bengals. After the loss, Quinn released a statement that the Commanders and Robinson Jr. would be going their separate ways, which means a potential trade should be coming down the pike soon, per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. “Brian Robinson Jr. did not play, and Dan Quinn pretty much, confirming that they’re going to move on from Robinson here,” Garafolo said. “He is set to make a total of $3.5 million per this season in the final year of his deal. So, it’s looking like a potential trade. Both sides agreed he’s not going to play to play in that game to keep a trade alive — didn’t want him to get hurt in that case.” Still, there isn’t an apparent reason why the Commanders are actively shopping Robinson Jr. for potential suitors. “I know there’s interest because, as I’ve reported this, I’ve heard from teams that are saying, “What happened there?” How did he fall out of favor? Does he want a new contract? Yeah, I mean, eventually he does,” Garafolo added. “But this is a contract year, and right now, given this situation, my understanding is he wants the best possible situation for him to have the best possible season to set him up for a payday this offseason as a free agent. “So, right now, all about fit for Brian Robinson. I believe he’s going to have a new home. If it’s not via trade and they got to cut him, he’ll have a new home in short order,” Garafolo concluded. Dan Quinn hints at Brian Robinson Jr’s Commanders exit The plans to sit Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. against the Bengals only fueled trade interest until head coach Dan Quinn’s public interest confirmed suspicion. “There’s just a lot of moving parts this time of year,” Quinn said via a team transcript. “Those things take place. And so I just wanted to make sure that’s my responsibility to let the team know whenever I can, so they’re not hearing any information from anywhere else. So that was all more of the standard operating procedure for me.” Quinn added that he has too much respect for Robinson Jr. to reveal what led to the Commanders’ decision to part ways with their veteran running back.
Former Green Bay Packers RB to miss entire 2025 NFL season due to injury
The Green Bay Packers are dealing with some concerning injuries to significant members of their roster. As their fans are well aware, the Packers have seen multiple wide receivers projected to be at the top of the depth cart go down during training camp with various injuries. Christian Watson, of course, has not been practicing all offseason as he is recovering from a torn ACL suffered in Week 18 against the Chicago Bears. In addition to him, the Packers also played their previous preseason game without Romeo Doubs (back), Jayden Reed (foot) and Dontayvion Wicks (calf). And while Doubs returned to practice this week, Reed and Wicks remain out. Elsewhere around the NFL, other teams are dealing with injuries of their own, and some involve players that are former Packers. Former Green Bay Packers running back Patrick Taylor is out for the 2025-26 NFL season One of these players is former Packers running back Patrick Taylor, who played in Green Bay from 2021-2023. An undrafted free agent who often filled in as Green Bay’s third running back, he accumulated 261 rushing yards and a touchdown in his three seasons with the Packers. He found himself out of a job when the Packers revamped their running back room before the 2024 NFL season. Taylor ended up with the San Francisco 49ers last season and had the best year of his career with 183 rushing yards and a touchdown while appearing in 13 games. He will not be playing any games this season as San Francisco just put him on season-ending injured reserve: NFL teams can only have so many players on an injured reserve list. Interestingly, Taylor’s injury led to the 49ers to release another former Packer, wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown, who was placed on injured reserve last week. In order to release an injured player, teams and that player must come to an injury settlement, which St. Brown received. He is now free to sign with any team in the NFL should he be able to pass a physical.
Texas' Arch Manning reacts to grandfather Archie's 2026 NFL Draft prediction
Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning should keep his family group chat updated about his decision for the 2026 NFL Draft. He doesn't want it tipping his plans, especially when they're not confirmed. Manning's grandfather, former New Orleans Saints QB Archie, told Texas Monthly his grandson isn't going to declare for the 2026 draft in a story published at the beginning of August. The 21-year-old passer, however, clarified he's keeping his options open. "I don't know where he got that from," Manning said Tuesday, via CJ Vogel of OnTexasFootball. "He texted me and apologized about that, but I'm really just taking it day-by-day right now." Manning attempted just 95 passes in his first two seasons at Texas but is already viewed as a potential No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft. In a story published Tuesday, The Athletic's Dane Brugler tabbed him as his top QB entering the season. Still, it would reportedly take a special circumstance for Manning to declare for the draft in 2026. He would want to play for a team that has a stable head-coaching situation and front office. Most franchises that are picking near the top of the draft don't have that. More importantly, Manning must prove he's worthy of the No. 1 pick. Despite his family name, he doesn't have a large enough sample size to show he's pro-ready. "If his last name were 'Smith' and he were a three-star recruit instead of a five-star blue-chipper, would he still appear this high early in draft rankings? Who knows," wrote Brugler. "However, what he has put on film so far has been very impressive. Now, scouts need to see it consistently each week, especially against the top opponents on Texas' schedule." Manning faces an elite opponent in Week 1. The No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes host the No. 1 Longhorns on Aug. 30 at noon ET (Fox). The QB should probably tell his family to deflect questions about the draft until he's ready to make a decision. Speculation about his future could create even more pressure, which he doesn't need.
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