Lakers Ownership Fight: Buss Siblings Face Off in Court

The Lakers ownership fight just got messier, and it is playing out in a Los Angeles courtroom instead of on the hardwood. Jeanie Buss, the team's governor, is battling her five siblings over whether the family trust can sell its last slice of the franchise to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger.

Here is the short version for anyone catching up. A record sale is moving forward, a family is split down the middle, and a judge has a date circled on the calendar.

What Jeanie Buss Is Saying in Court

According to a Tribune News Service report in the Antelope Valley Press, Jeanie filed a twenty-seven-page response this week in Los Angeles Superior Court. She accused her siblings of using the media to shape a story around their plan to sell the Buss Family Trust's remaining seventeen point eight percent stake using tag-along rights.

Her lawyers did not hold back. The filing says the five siblings cast themselves as victims when, in reality, the episode is their own "false flag operation." It also calls their backroom votes and resolutions an attempt to force her hand and smear her in the press.

Jeanie wants her co-trustees, Janie and Joey Buss, to comply with a 2017 court order tied to the trust. That order includes keeping the trust's stake above fifteen percent, which matters because a team governor needs to be part of an ownership group holding at least that much. She also asks that Janie and Joey be removed as co-trustees and held in contempt, and that Jesse, Johnny and Jim face the same label for aiding and abetting.

The Siblings Push Back

The other side sees it very differently. Jimmy, Johnny, Janie, Joey and Jesse Buss said in a statement that their formal opposition shows Jeanie's petition is legally and factually baseless. They say their focus is on helping the proposed deal go through while making sure every beneficiary, Jeanie included, is treated equally.

There is real money on the table. If the trust sells, each sibling stands to collect three hundred seventy-one million dollars, according to the same report. That is a very big reason for the vote to land five to one.

Both camps describe one decision in opposite terms. The siblings call it settled, while Jeanie's side says any vote implying the family is selling carries no legal effect.

The Record Sale Behind It All

The Lakers ownership fight sits on top of the biggest franchise sale in sports history. Hypebeast reported, citing ESPN, that Mark Walter and Josh Kushner agreed on all outstanding terms for a deal valuing the Lakers at twelve point five billion dollars, with former Disney chief Bob Iger part of the buying group.

Walter bought control from the Buss family in a deal valued at ten billion dollars, and the new price arrived in less than a year. When Iger and Kushner moved to buy the remaining stake directly from the family, the math changed for Jeanie. Selling that stake would drop her below the threshold she needs to stay governor, even though Walter's original contract was meant to keep her in the job for at least five years.

The family dispute is not expected to block the main sale. The deal still needs approval from the NBA, which could come as soon as the league's November board of governors meeting, though a later sign-off looks more likely while the league does its homework.

What Happens Next

The next big date is December eighth, when Jeanie and her siblings are due back in court. Reports also say there have been talks about a settlement, so a deal between the siblings is still possible before a judge steps in.

For fans, the story is a rare mix of family drama and billionaire money. A team with seventeen championship banners is changing hands while the family that built it argues over who gets to stay in the building.

On the court, Luka Doncic keeps scoring and the Lakers keep winning, which gives supporters something to focus on while the lawyers work. Keep an eye on the sports desk for updates as the court date and the league vote get closer.

The bigger lesson from the Lakers ownership fight is simple. Browse more in politics and business coverage too. When a franchise is worth this much, every clause in an old family trust suddenly matters, and one court order from 2017 can shape the future of one of the most famous teams in the world.