A bitter dispute has erupted within the Buss family, the long-time stewards of the Los Angeles Lakers, over the potential sale of the team's remaining minority stake for an estimated $12.5 billion. Jeanie Buss, the controlling owner and team governor, has filed a petition in Los Angeles Superior Court to block her siblings from selling their combined 17.8 percent share. Five of her six siblings have voted to sell their stakes to Joshua Kushner and Bob Iger, a move Jeanie has described as "devious" and against her late father's wishes.
The late Jerry Buss, who purchased the Lakers in 1979, left the franchise to his six children via a family trust upon his death in 2013. While the family sold its majority stake to Mark Walter last year, the current conflict centers on the remaining shares. Jeanie Buss, as team governor, risks losing her position if her ownership stake falls below 15 percent, a prospect she is fighting to prevent.
Sources close to the situation describe the ongoing conflict as "chaos" and predict a protracted legal battle. Jeanie Buss has stated her belief that she would remain governor until at least 2030, and potentially indefinitely. Her identity has long been intertwined with the Lakers, and she fears that a sale could lead to a new team identity and a decline in performance, which she would feel responsible for.
Despite a family spokesperson's statement in 2013 that the family had "no interest in ever selling the team," it has since emerged that the idea of selling was discussed immediately after Jerry Buss's death. Jeanie Buss, who held the crucial "swing vote" for years, eventually sided with selling to Walter last year. However, her brother Johnny Buss expressed confusion and disappointment, stating he had not discussed the decision with her.
History of Family Strife
The current conflict is the latest chapter in a long history of infighting within the Buss family, a dynamic reportedly fostered by Jerry Buss himself. In 2017, Jeanie Buss fired her brother, Jim Buss, from his role overseeing the Lakers' basketball operations, sparking a dispute where Jim and Johnny attempted, unsuccessfully, to remove Jeanie from the board.
More recently, Jeanie Buss terminated the roles of her half-brothers, Joey and Jesse Buss, in November, despite their long tenures and their father's alleged intentions for them to eventually lead basketball operations. Jesse Buss, who had been dealing with health issues, cited a "lack of communication" as the reason for his dismissal. Joey and Jesse have since launched a new sports investment venture.
Even their sister Janie, the youngest, was let go by Jeanie earlier this year, despite Janie's plea to be allowed to resign as she neared retirement. Janie Buss expressed that she did not believe their father would approve of the current state of family affairs.
Unforeseen Legacies
The family's drama also includes the revelation in 2018 by Lee Klose that she was Jerry Buss's secret first child from his first marriage, given up for adoption in 1953. Her existence was reportedly kept private from the later children at Jerry Buss's request. It has been claimed that Jerry Buss broke a promise to his first wife, JoAnn, not to have children with anyone else, leading to the births of Joey and Jesse with Karen Demel.
Johnny Buss has stated that "the Lakers were the tension point in the family," and while a majority of siblings now favor the sale, the legal and emotional fallout continues to divide the Buss family. Long-time Lakers reporter Harrison Faigen suggests that while Jeanie remains generally well-regarded, her favorability has declined amid the controversy. He also muses on whether Jerry Buss would have wished he had structured the trust differently to avoid such deep family divisions.