Tag: Los Angeles Lakers

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Los Angeles Lakers sold for a record-breaking $12.5 billion

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Former Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger along with Venture Capitalist Josh Kushner will be the new owners of the Los Angeles Lakers after purchasing the franchise from Mark Walter for $12.5 billion (AP file photo)

Los Angeles Lakers sold for a record-breaking $12.5 billion

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Until recently, the Golden State Warriors were the NBA’s most valuable franchise, valued at around $11 billion. However, ESPN reported that Venture Capitalist Joshua Kushner and former Disney CEO Bob Iger agreed to buy a controlling stake in the Los Angeles Lakers from Mark Walter for a record-breaking $12.5 billion on a very fast deal that came together in just a few days after Kushner called Walter with the huge offer.

To put this massive offer in perspective, the highest valuation for a US professional league team is that of the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL, at $15.5 billion. The Lakers sold for $12.5 billion, whereas other professional teams, including the New York Yankees in MLB, are valued at $9 billion, while the only MLB team in the Bay Area, the San Francisco Giants, is valued at around $4 billion, while the dearly departed Oakland A’s, now playing in Sacramento with a final stop in Las Vegas at $2.5 billion.

Robert Allen Iger (Bob Iger) is an American media executive who served two separate terms as the CEO of The Walt Disney Company from 2005 to 2020 and from 2022 to 2026. Jared Kushner has been a businessman and investor for over 20 years, beginning his active career in real estate and media between 2003 and 2005. Kushner is President Donald Trump’s son-in-law. He married Trump’s oldest daughter, Ivanka Trump, in 2009,

The Lakers open their 79th season (2026-27) regular-season schedule on Wednesday, Oct. 21, when they host the Golden State Warriors at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

Quote: “We are more than just athletes. The platform we have in this league allows us to spark real conversations and create change far beyond the hardwood.” — LeBron James

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.

NBA podcast Michael Roberson: LeBron joining Sixers gives him a shot at a ring

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LeBron James as he would look in a Philadelphia 76ers uniform (Instagram photo)

NBA podcast Michael Roberson:

#1 Why did LeBron James say he chose to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers instead of retiring or joining another team?

#2 How could LeBron James’ arrival impact the 76ers’ championship chances alongside Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Jaylen Brown?

#3 What makes LeBron James’ reported two-year, $8 million contract unusual compared with the salaries of NBA superstars?

#4 What did LeBron James mean when he called this his “last decision,” and what does it suggest about this stage of his career?

#5 How might LeBron James’ departure affect the Los Angeles Lakers, and what challenges or opportunities does it create for both franchises?

Michael Roberson is an NBA analyst for http://www.sportsradioservice.com

NBA podcast Michael Roberson: Where would LeBron consider taking his talents next?

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LeBron James prepares to shoot during the first half of Game 2 of a second-round NBA playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday, May 7, in Oklahoma City. James is leaving the Los Angeles Lakers after eight seasons.Nate Billings/AP

NBA podcast Michael Roberson:

#1 LeBron James who is looking for greener pastures after leaving the Los Angeles Lakers was given a warm farewell by Lakers governor Jeanie Buss. Where will LeBron go he was rumored that he could go to Golden State.

#2 For years Anthony Davis (who is now a Washington Wizard) and LeBron were asking ownership at the Lakers to bring in a center. So as soon as LeBron left the Lakers the Lakers signed Walker Kessler for four years $130 million which works out to be $32.5 million a season. To get Kessler the Lakers had to trade their 2031 and 2033 unprotected first round picks. Also pick swaps for 2028 and 2030 to the Utah Jazz.

#3 The Philadelphia 76ers just couldn’t wait after getting superstar Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics the Sixers are now making a pitch for LeBron. How do you see LeBron being a factor with the Sixers if that were to happen?

#4 LeBron is 41 years old and some would say at the twilight of his career. Do you see LeBron going back to the Cleveland Cavaliers and ending his career

#5 Did the Warriors Draymond Green opt out of his $27 million contract so he make cap room in the event that LeBron wanted to come to Golden State as the Warriors is the most likely place that Green will retire so he’s not exploring free agency to join another team.

Michael Roberson is an NBA analyst at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

NBA Playoffs podcast David Zizmor: Knicks go up 2-0 over Sixers, Pistons take control of Cavs; Lakers no match for Thunder

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New York Knicks Karl-Anthony Towns smiles after committing a foul in the second half against the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden in New York during game 2 in the second round of the NBA Playoffs on Thu May 7, 2026 (AP News photo)

NBA Playoffs podcast David Zizmor:

#1 Dave,how surprised are you that the New York Knicks who beat the Philadelphia 76ers 108-102 on Wednesday night as the Knicks move up 2-0. Can the Knicks keep this moving and win the series?

#2 The Detroit Pistons get a 107-97 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers and take a 2-0 lead. The Pistons Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 25 points and Cunningham was the most essential part of the Pistons success in game 2.

#3 Three core scorers for the Oklahoma City Thunder Chet Holmgren, AJay Mitchell and Shea Gilgeous. were key in the Thunder’s win over the Los Angeles Lakers 125-107 as the Thunder take a 2-0 lead.

David Zizmor does the NBA Playoffs podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

NBA Playoffs round 2 game1 podcast Michael Roberson: Thunder defense holds back Lakers for 108-90

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Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) takes a shot over the Los Angeles Lakers center DeAndre Ayton (25) as Ajay Mitchell (25) looks on in the first half of game 1 of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on Tue May 5, 2026 (AP News photo)

NBA Playoffs podcast Michael Roberson:

#1 How did the absence of Luka Dončić impact the Lakers’ offensive performance in Game 1?

#2 What adjustments did the Thunder make after halftime that allowed them to pull away from the Lakers?

#3 How significant was Chet Holmgren’s performance in establishing Oklahoma City’s dominance in Game 1?

#4 In what ways did turnovers and shooting efficiency contribute to the Lakers’ 108–90 loss?

#5 Considering the Thunder swept the Lakers in the regular season, what does Game 1 reveal about the gap between these two teams?

Michael Roberson is an NBA Playoff podcast contributor at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

NBA Playoffs podcast Michael Roberson: Lakers put Rockets in a hole in game 2 win 101-94

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Los Angeles Lakers LeBron James (23) passes the ball under pressure from the Houston Rockets Kevin Durant (7) in game 2 of the NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Wed Apr 22, 2026 (AP News photo)

NBA Playoffs podcast Michael Roberson:

#1How did LeBron James influence the outcome of Game 2, and what aspects of his performance (scoring, playmaking, leadership) were most impactful?

#2 What were the main reasons the Houston Rockets struggled offensively despite having Kevin Durant back in the lineup for game 2 and is back for game 3.

#3 How did the Los Angeles Lakers exploit defensive weaknesses—particularly involving Alperen Şengün—through their game plan?

#4 What role did Lakers supporting players like Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard play in securing the victory?

#5 After falling behind 0–2 in the series, what adjustments must the Rockets make heading into Game 3 to stay competitive?

Join Michael Roberson for the NBA Playoffs podcasts at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Luca Doncic Dominates As Lakers Handle Kings 128-104

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Los Angeles Lakers guard Luca Doncic (77) takes a shot against the Sacramento Kings guard Nique Clifford (5) in the first half at Crypto Arena in Los Angeles on Sun Mar 1, 2026 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

The Sacramento Kings (14-48) pulled to within ten points of the Los Angeles Lakers in the third quarter before the Los Angeles Lakers (36-25) waltzed away with this game with a 128-104 win Sunday night at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

Luca Doncic finished with the game high of 28 points. The second half was no contest with the Lakers dominating. The Kings Nique Clifford had a terrific game with 26 points and seven rebounds and Maxime Raynaud had a double double, 16 points and 13 rebounds.

Game recap: The Lakers dominated the first quarter outscoring the Kings 36-18. Sacramento was struggling from the start but they did turn things around significantly in the second quarter outscoring the Lakers 31-28. Los Angeles at one time in the first half had a 22 point lead but the Kings cut that lead down to 15 64-49 at the half. The Kings got off to a slow start but had a solid second quarter of play.

At the half, Russell Westbrook had 12 points and Nique Clifford also had a good half of basketball with ten. They were the only two Kings in double digits. DeMar DeRozan had a sluggish first half scoring only four points as did Maxime Raynaud also with four points although he did have seven rebounds. They had made up some ground in the later minutes of the second quarter and were looking to continue to cut into the Laker lead in the third quarter.

Deandre Ayton, Austin Reeves and of course Doncic were all dominating in the first half and the Kings would have to continue to push in the second half.

The Kings took their hot finish in the first half into the third quarter. At 8:32 the Kings trailed by ten points 68-58 as they continued to try and climb back into this game. When it started to look promising the Lakers ran their lead back up to 19, 81-62 and took the third quarter away.

We got to see the magic touch of Doncic finishing off the third quarter scoring 28 points. He was ten of 16 from the floor and four of eight from downtown. Clifford was having a terrific game scoring 22 points with five rebounds. Los Angeles took a 20 point lead 96-76 into the fourth quarter.

LeBron James dazzled to start the fourth quarter as Los Angeles took a 105-81 lead their largest of the game. At 6:20 the Lakers were completely dominating on both ends of the court and Sacramento was getting clobbered 118-91. Los Angeles was all smiles in the second half of the quarter with the apparent win looming. In the final four minutes of the game, the Lakers had emptied their bench.

The high score for the Kings was Clifford who had a great game finishing with 26 points and seven rebounds. Raynaud had a double double, 16 points and 13 rebounds. DeRozan never really got going in this game finishing with nine points and four rebounds.

Four of the Laker starters finished in double figures with Doncic the high for the game with 28 points and five rebounds. Both Doncic and LeBron James left the game for much of the fourth quarter letting the bench finish the game.

Game notes: The Kings continued their road trip after beating the Dallas Mavericks last Thursday night 130-121. Sunday night the Kings lost to the sixth place Lakers. The Lakers welcomed back Russell Westbrook who formerly played with Los Angeles. Westbrook finished with 14 points and started along with DeRozan, Raynaud, Clifford and Precious Ashiuwa.

The Lakers with Sunday’s win take a 3-1 series lead . The Kings did beat them back on January 12, 124-113. Los Angeles have now won two games against the Kings. There were no injuries noted for the Lakers going into the game and they were at full strength. Sacramento faced another challenge with a lop-sided, short-handed roster going into Sunday’s game.

Tuesday night the Kings will face the seventh place team in the Western Conference. Sunday night’s game will end this current road trip and the Kings will be back at Golden 1 Arena as they face the Phoenix Suns. Tipoff for that game is scheduled for 8:00 PM.

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in. 

That’s Amaury News and Commenary: Mediocrity is the word for the Warriors

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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) takes a shot at the basket while being defended by the Golden State Warriors center Al Holford (20) in the first half at Chase Center on Sat Feb 28, 2026 (AP News photo)

Mediocerity is the word for the Warriors

By Amaury Pi-González

The Warriors walked into March with a 31-29 record, occupying the eighth and final playoff spot in the West. Their next five games are against the Clippers, Rockets, Thunder, Jazz, and Bulls. How this team is going to finish is anybody’s guess.

They just lost a game at Chase Center against the 41-year-old LeBron James, Lakers 129-101. Jimmy Butler is out for the season with a torn ACL. It typically takes 6-12 months for a full return, with 9 to 12 months for professional athletes to regain their full strength.

Stephen Curry also injured is missing games of late. His Right knee has patellofemoral pain syndrome (Runner’s Knee). When asked about the injury, he said one word,” weird.” Other Warriors medical situation, Seth Curry (sciatica) and the Jonathan Porzings saga is a totally disaster.

With just 22 games left, it doesn’t look like the Warriors are going to improve all of a sudden, even the postseason is at best a 50-50 proposition. They are currently sitting in the Western Conference’s eighth spot, aiming to avoid the play-in tournament and secure a top-six seed.

Just like the Giants, who play a few blocks away from Chase Center, the Warriors had a great run of championships winning in in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022. Every team suffers injuries; the Warriors are not alone; however, this season has always looked, to use Steph Curry’s previous word, “weird”.

Quote: “Ask not what your teammates can do for you. Ask what you can do for your teammates.” -Magic Johnson

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.

While in the Bay Area, great food and great prices. 998cuba.com

Sacramento Kings podcast Tony Harvey: LeBron, Lakers and a shot at a third win in 4 games for Kings Sunday

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Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk (left) shoots around Dallas Mavericks Dwight Powell (right) in the first half at American Airlines in Dallas on Thu Feb 27, 2026 (AP News photo)

Sacramento Kings podcast Tony Harvey:

#1 Can Zach LaVine is out for the season but could he have carried the scoring load against the Los Angeles Lakers’ defense and outduel LeBron James in key offensive possessions?

#2 How much will someone like Domantas Sabonis’ be missed out of the line up against a team like the Lakers.

#3 Will Malik Monk’s shooting from beyond the arc provide Sacramento with the spacing they need to keep pace with the Lakers’ perimeter defenders?

#4 Prescious Achiuwa how do you see him matching up against the Lakers on Sunday?

#5 How might Nique Clifford’s energy and defense influence the bench’s ability to slow down the Lakers’ second units?

Join Tony Harvey for the Sacramento Kings podcasts Saturday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in. 

Sacramento Kings podcast Barbara Mason: LeBron and Doncic too much for Kings in loss in LA

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Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) takes the ball away from the Sacramento Kings forward Precious Achiuwa (left) and forward Doug McDermott (7) at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sun Dec 29, 2025 (AP News photo)

Sacramento Kings podcast Barbara Mason:

1 The Kings came into this game against the Los Angeles Lakers (20-10) Sunday night on a winning note and were looking to try and make it two in a row. This would be a major challenge for the Sacramento Kings (8-24) having to contain not one but two superstars the King LeBron James along with Luka Doncic.

2 Both teams came into this game short-handed but it was Sacramento who suffered the most with three starters unable to play in this game. How did this impact the game.

3 Luka Doncic along with LeBron James ruled the court from start to finish breaking the Kings from the get-go. They were both unstoppable.

4 Sacramento played catch-up the entire game, completely overwhelmed by the Lakers. Not only the Los Angeles starters impacted the game but also bench player Nick Smith Jr who had a banner day.

5 Next up for the Kings will be a another north vs south clash taking on the Clippers (10-21) Tuesday night. How will the Kings bounce back after this disappointing game last night.

Barbara Mason does the Sacramento Kings podcasts Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.

⚡Craft cocktails? Check.
🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah.
🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.

Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.

Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.

📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street

Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm

Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.