TL;DR

Lakers sold for $10B; Pacers force NBA Finals Game 7; MLB, EPL, and UFC see major moves.

Highlights

• Mark Walter to acquire controlling stake in the LA Lakers for $10B, pending NBA approval; Buss family retains minority interest.1
• Pacers force NBA Finals Game 7 vs Thunder after 108–91 win; OKC favored by 7.5 points.2
• Liverpool signs Florian Wirtz for club-record £116M; Arsenal secures Martin Zubimendi for €65M.56
• Dodgers place Roki Sasaki on 60-day IL (shoulder); acquire LHP Zach Penrod from Red Sox; Brewers rookie Jacob Misiorowski sets modern record with 11 hitless innings to start MLB career.168
• MLB suspends Pirates’ Dennis Santana (4 games) for altercation with fan; Padres’ Robert Suarez (3 games) and both managers (1 game) suspended after Padres-Dodgers incident.10
• Angels manager Ron Washington takes indefinite leave for health reasons; Ray Montgomery steps in.9
• Yankees’ Aaron Judge ends slump with MLB-leading 27th homer; Christian Yelich ties Brewers RBI record with 8 RBIs.208
• Winnipeg Jets sign Jonathan Toews to a one-year, incentive-heavy deal after two-year absence.7
• France’s Arthur Fils withdraws from Wimbledon (back injury); Rudy Gobert out for EuroBasket 2025.418
• Álvarez–Crawford super-middleweight title fight set for Sept. 13 in Las Vegas, streaming on Netflix ; Álvarez opens as slight favorite.11
• UFC targets $1B/year in new U.S. media rights, likely with multiple partners; Amazon eyes LeBron James for future NBA commentary.1219
• Wisconsin sues Miami over alleged tampering with DB Xavier Lucas, testing new college athlete contract rules.14
• Argentina defeats British & Irish Lions 28-24 in rugby tour opener; Flamengo beats Chelsea 3–1 in Club World Cup group stage.1517

Commentary

Ownership and roster moves headline the week. Mark Walter’s $10B LA Lakers buyout, pending NBA approval, signals a likely increase in spending and potential front-office changes, though Jeanie Buss remains governor. Fantasy players and bettors should track any early signals of operational shifts, especially as free agency approaches.1

The NBA Finals will go to a Game 7 for the first time in nine years after Indiana’s convincing win. OKC remains a 7.5-point favorite, but Indiana’s defense and Haliburton’s status are key variables for DFS and prop markets. Historical viewership spikes for Game 7s may also drive increased betting volume.2

Baseball news is mixed: Dodgers lose Roki Sasaki to a lengthy IL stint, impacting pitching depth, while Brewers rookie Jacob Misiorowski’s historic start (11 hitless innings) makes him a name to watch in fantasy and futures markets. MLB’s recent suspensions—affecting the Pirates, Padres, and Dodgers—could alter bullpen usage and short-term betting lines. Aaron Judge’s return to power and Yelich’s RBI surge are relevant for daily fantasy and prop bets.1681020

In soccer, Liverpool and Arsenal’s high-profile signings (Wirtz, Zubimendi) are set to impact Premier League and fantasy rosters immediately.56 Meanwhile, injuries to Arthur Fils (Wimbledon) and Rudy Gobert (EuroBasket) affect both betting lines and national team outlooks.418 The Álvarez–Crawford fight, with a KO bonus and Netflix streaming, is already drawing early action, with Álvarez opening as a slight favorite.11

Elsewhere, the UFC’s pursuit of a $1B rights deal and Amazon ’s interest in LeBron James as future NBA talent underscore shifting sports media dynamics.1219 For college sports, Wisconsin’s lawsuit against Miami could have lasting implications for athlete movement and contract enforcement.14 Rugby and Club World Cup results round out a packed week for global bettors.1517