Lakers Family War Explodes: Jeanie Buss Is Fighting to Stop the Sale That Could Push Her Out

The Los Angeles Lakers’ ownership story just took a dramatic turn. Reports Monday said the Buss family had voted to sell its remaining 17.8% stake in the franchise to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger—a move that could end Jeanie Buss’ run as Lakers governor. Now Jeanie is fighting back. Her attorney argues that the family’s remaining shares cannot be sold without the approval of the trust’s current co-trustees and claims the attempted vote is invalid.

The stakes are enormous for Jeanie. NBA guidelines require a team’s governor to maintain at least a 15% ownership stake, meaning the proposed sale would leave her without enough ownership to remain in control. The dispute comes after decades of the Buss family being synonymous with the Lakers and adds another chapter to years of internal disagreements among Jerry Buss’ children.

This is what makes the story much bigger than another billion-dollar sports transaction. The question now isn’t simply who will own the Lakers—it’s whether Jeanie Buss can legally stop her siblings from completing a deal that could end her family’s direct control of one of basketball’s most famous franchises. And until that dispute is settled, the Lakers’ ownership transition could get much messier before it gets resolved.