The show must go on, or in this case, the celebration. While the Lakers and several NBA stars are busy dealing with the recent gambling scandal, new Lakers owner Mark Walter and franchise legend Magic Johnson are choosing to keep spirits high. Magic, who also co-owns the Dodgers, invited his friend and business partner, Walter, along with his wife, Cookie, to enjoy a Dodgers game. As the Lakers work behind the scenes to clear their name, these two seem to be finding comfort in a little baseball and good company.

Magic Johnson took to X to share a fun moment from Game 2 of the World Series, writing, “Dodger Nation, our @Dodgers won 5-1 tonight to even the Series! Cookie and I enjoyed hanging out with Dodgers and new Lakers owners Mark, Kim and Samantha Walter, and our friend Les at the World Series Game 2 in Toronto.” He knows how to mix business, friendship, and a good ball game.

And what a night it was for Dodger Nation. After dropping Game 1 to the Blue Jays, Los Angeles bounced back strong with a 5–1 victory to tie the series 1–1. Yoshinobu Yamamoto was the hero of the night, pitching nine flawless innings that left Toronto’s powerful offense completely silent. Just a day earlier, the Blue Jays had lit up the scoreboard with 11 runs but this time, Yamamoto shut the door, retiring 17 straight hitters at one point. 

By the time he struck out the side in the eighth, Yamamoto had already thrown 93 smooth pitches and showed no signs of slowing down. He came back out for the ninth looking as fresh as ever and made history in the process. He became the first pitcher since Curt Schilling in 2001 to throw complete games in back-to-back postseason starts and the first since Madison Bumgarner in 2014 to do it twice in the same playoffs.

The 25-year-old ace gave up just four hits, walked none, and struck out eight. Meanwhile, Will Smith played hero at the plate, smashing a go-ahead home run in the seventh inning that broke a 1-1 tie. Max Muncy added another solo blast to seal the deal. As the series now shifts to Los Angeles for Game 3, the Dodgers are riding a wave of momentum and a little extra motivation from Magic’s courtside support.

Coming back to the Lakers. If you somehow missed it, the purple and gold made major headlines earlier this year. In June, the Buss family decided to hand over majority ownership of the lakers to Mark Walter, who is also the CEO and chairman of TWG Global. Since 1979, the Buss family trust had controlled 66% of the franchise, but this move signalled the start of a new era for the organization.

But one thing that will remain constant? Jeanie Buss. She still holds that same position of the team governor that she has carried since her father, Dr. Jerry Buss, passed away in 2013. But the sale made news for something else as well. The Lakers, arguably the biggest brand in basketball, were valued at a jaw-dropping $10 billion in the deal.

And right after the news broke, the first to applaud the Walters was none other than Magic Johnson: “Job well done to my sister Jeanie Buss for striking an incredible deal and picking the right person to carry on the Lakers legacy and tradition of winning, Mark Walter, my business partner and friend! Mark Walter is the best choice and will be the best caretaker of the Laker brand.”

How did Lakers games get pulled into the Rozier betting scandal?

The NBA has found itself caught in yet another legal storm, and this time, it reaches deep into the world of gambling and insider information. Early Thursday, the FBI confirmed that Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups, and former NBA player-coach Damon Jones were all arrested in connection with a federal investigation based on illegal sports betting operations. Over 30 people have reportedly been charged, and the details are as shocking as they are serious.

According to the FBI, Rozier is being investigated for his alleged role in a betting scheme that used non-public player information, like when a player might miss a game or exit it early, to place winning wagers.

The games under the microscope are seven in total, played between February 2023 and March 2024, including two Lakers matchups: one against the Milwaukee Bucks on February 9, 2023, and another versus the Oklahoma City Thunder on January 15, 2024.

Investigators believe more than $200,000 in bets were placed on Rozier’s “under” lines across multiple prop bets, meaning people wagered on him scoring or performing less than expected.

But the biggest twist comes from the involvement of Damon Jones, a name that immediately rings bells in Los Angeles. Jones, who played 11 seasons in the NBA and later coached, was once a close friend and former assistant to LeBron James. He’s the only figure named in both indictments, one for the gambling operation and another for running illegal poker games. 

The indictment even mentions that before the Feb. 9, 2023, Lakers vs. Bucks matchup, Jones texted a co-conspirator, suggesting they bet on the game because “a player was out.” That player turned out to be LeBron James, who sat out that night but crucially, reports say James had no idea Jones had leaked the information. It’s a chilling revelation, especially considering Jones still had limited access to the Lakers during the 2022–23 season.

If proven true, the fallout could be massive. Commissioner Adam Silver would have the authority to ban Rozier for life, just as he did with Jontay Porter earlier this year. And with Chauncey Billups’ name in the mix too, though for a different reason, this case could become one of the most significant scandals in modern NBA history.

The Lakers may not be directly accused, but they’re right in the middle of this storm.