- Lasry and Wes Edens bought a controlling stake in the Bucks for US$550m in 2014
- The Bucks are worth US$2.43bn
Marc Lasry, the co-owner of the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA), is in discussions to sell his 25 percent stake in Haslam Sports Group, according to reports.
Led by Dee and Jimmy Haslam, the group already owns the National Football League’s (NFL) Cleveland Browns and Major League Soccer’s (MLS) Columbus Crew. It has been looking to expand its sports portfolio for a while, considering the purchase of the Minnesota Timberwolves before it was sold in 2021 to a consortium led by Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez.
According to Sportico, the Haslams are now focused on the Bucks. Athletic added that Lasry had spent recent weeks mulling over the decision to potentially sell his stake.
Lasry, along with fellow New York hedge fund billionaire Wes Edens, agreed to buy former US senator Herb Kohl’s majority stake in the Bucks in 2014 for US$550 million. Other current minority shareholders of the franchise include US businessman Michael D Fascitelli, investor James Dinan and Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Sportico recently valued the Bucks at US$2.43 billion, placing them 15th on their ranking list of NBA franchises.
The Athletic reports that Lasry initially considered selling his Bucks stake to billionaire mortgage lender Mat Ishbia, who has since bought a controlling stake in the Phoenix Suns and the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) Phoenix Mercury. When Ishbia moved on, Jimmy Haslam is said to have taken his place in talks, attending a Bucks game with Edens in December.
