The Los Angeles Lakers were owned by the Buss family for decades, becoming one of America's most popular teams. Now, the team is under new ownership. Mark Walter, the owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, bought a majority stake in the Lakers on Wednesday. The man who helped bring Shohei Ohtani to the Dodgers will now oversee Luka Doncic on the Lakers.

The move has sent shockwaves across the sports world. However, the consequences of the change are big. In Los Angeles, sports teams are only as big as their stars are. Luckily for Walter, he inherits a situation where the Lakers have Doncic for the next four years if he signs an extension this summer.

The young superstar now has a compelling reason to stay in Los Angeles. Walter has made a name for himself thanks to his willingness to spend money to improve his team. He gave Ohtani a 10-year, $700 million deal in 2024 to bring him to Los Angeles. He dished out almost $1.5 billion over the last two offseasons to help secure a title for Los Angeles.

While his spending will not be as useful in the NBA world thanks to the salary cap, there are other ways to invest in a team's success. Walter also understands that Doncic is the future of the Lakers' franchise. The team's new owner could spend however much money is necessary to ensure that his superstar is surrounded by the best staff and equipment to ensure his success.

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Doncic faced ridicule throughout the postseason because of his lack of conditioning. The 26-year-old appears to have taken the message to heart. However, Walter could give him everything he needs, both on and off the court to succeed.

The rules in Major League Baseball are vastly different than the NBA when it comes to spending in the offseason. Despite that, Walter could be just fine with his team going into the first and second aprons to bring in stars.

Some of the Lakers' targets this summer would push them into the second apron if Los Angeles signed them. If Walter was willing to give Ohtani such a massive deal, why not do the same for Doncic?

Both players are the face of their respective teams, and they face the pressure that comes with playing in Los Angeles. However, Doncic might get some more help from a new owner willing to open up his wallet and spend big.