Pablo Torre highlights report which names possible ‘real buyer’ behind Los Angeles Lakers’ $12.5 billion sale

The Los Angeles Lakers’ $12.5 billion sale to Bob Iger and Josh Kushner has raised some eyebrows, and now Pablo Torre has highlighted a report suggesting there is more to the story.

Pablo Torre has made himself the face of investigative sports journalism to NBA fans after his reports brought the Kawhi Leonard, Los Angeles Clippers controversy to light. Now, his eyes are on the Lakers.

Mark Walter recently agreed to sell the Los Angeles Lakers to a group led by Bob Iger and Josh Kushner for $12.5 billion. There are a lot of questions around his own financial situation and the investigation surrounding it.

However, one report is suggesting that there is more than meets the eye about the group buying the team. And when someone like Torre highlights it, it is bound to garner some more attention.

Iger and Kushner are the faces of the new Lakers ownership. Not only are they buying the majority stake from Walter, they are also actively engaged in trying to get the Buss family minority stake.

However, their combined estimated net worth is roughly $6 billion. Naturally, the age where people buy franchises outright is fading, but questions are now being asked about where the rest of the money is coming from.

And Pablo Torre has reposted a report that suggests there is a connection with the Middle East.

The report from Henry Abbott speculates about Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, managing director and group CEO of Mubadala Capital, a sovereign wealth fund owned by the government of Abu Dhabi.

Mubadala has reportedly already been in business with Mark Walter and was tied to one of his companies prior to his purchase of the Lakers. The report speculates they are already invested in the team.

At this point, none of this is concrete. However, the questions being raised are quite pertinent. And with Torre among those paying keen attention, it will be interesting to see what comes out of it all.

Read more:

• Other Buss siblings have ‘decided to sell’ Los Angeles Lakers stake despite Jeanie Buss’ opposition
• Kwame Brown predicts NBA will help LeBron James win title with 76ers and surpass Kobe Bryant and Steph Curry
• ‘Worst hands in NBA history’ – Skip Bayless makes brutal Russell Westbrook comparison to Caitlin Clark