Jeanie Buss, the current governor of the Los Angeles Lakers, is actively opposing a plan put forward by her brothers and sisters to dispose of the family’s remaining 17.8 percent interest in the franchise. The dispute centers on a high‑profile transaction that was announced earlier this month, in which Josh Kushner—who is connected to former President Donald Trump through his son‑in‑law Jared Kushner—and former Disney chief executive Bob Iger have agreed to purchase a controlling stake in the Lakers at a valuation of roughly $12.5 billion (about £9.3 billion).
This price would set a new benchmark for any professional sports team sale. According to the terms that have been reported, Kushan and Iger intend to acquire roughly 65 percent of the organization from Mark Walter, a businessman who also holds a share of the Los Angeles Dodgers and works alongside Chelsea Football Club chairman Todd Boehly. Should the deal also secure the Buss family’s portion, the new ownership consortium would control about 83 percent of the Lakers.
Jeanie Buss has served as the Lakers’ governor since 2013, a role she assumed after the death of her father, Jerry Buss, who originally bought the team in 1979. In 2022, Jeanie helped orchestrate the sale of a controlling interest to Mark Walter for an estimated $10 billion, a transaction that was structured to keep her in the governor’s seat through 2030. The governing rules of the NBA require the team’s governor to own at least a 15‑percent stake; consequently, if the Buss family’s remaining shares are sold, Jeanie would be forced to relinquish her position.
The Buss family released a brief statement on Monday indicating that they had collectively decided to sell the remaining shares held by the Buss Family Trust to the group led by Iger. The statement read, "We have decided as a family to sell the remaining Buss Family Trust shares to the Bob Iger group as part of the ongoing transaction. We love the Lakers, Lakers fans and will continue to support Los Angeles; but it is time to use this opportunity to move on and exit gracefully while we still can." However, Jeanie Buss’s legal counsel, attorney Adam Streisand, promptly sent a letter to the five other siblings asserting that any attempt to transfer the trust’s ownership would be "void" under the existing trust agreement.
The letter, cited by ESPN, warned that co‑trustees are obligated to vote in a manner that preserves the minimum 15‑percent ownership threshold required for Jeanie to remain the controlling governor. Streisand further cautioned that any effort to circumvent this requirement would constitute a breach of fiduciary duty, a violation of trust law, and could result in contempt of court. The Lakers, a franchise with 17 NBA championships—11 of which were won under the Buss family’s stewardship—have been mired in internal strife since Jerry Buss passed away. The discord became public in 2017 when Jeanie dismissed Jim Buss, her brother, from his role as head of basketball operations.
Within a week, Jim and another brother, Johnny, filed a lawsuit aimed at removing Jeanie as the controlling owner. More recently, in November of the previous year, brothers Joey and Jesse Buss were also let go from their front‑office positions.
The proposed sale to Kushner and Iger still requires approval from the NBA’s Board of Governors, a process that could take several months. The transaction also arrives at a time when Josh Kushner’s name has been linked to a controversial proposal put forward by FIFA president Gianni Infantino. The plan, known as the FIFA Forward Enterprise, sought to sell stakes in FIFA’s competitions to private investors—a concept that faced fierce opposition from continental confederations, including UEFA, and ultimately led to the withdrawal of Kushner’s venture‑capital firm, Thrive Eternal, from leading the investor group.
Beyond the immediate family drama, the deal highlights broader trends in sports ownership, where billionaire investors and media moguls are increasingly willing to pay record sums for elite franchises. The Lakers, with their storied history, global brand, and market in Los Angeles, represent a coveted asset for anyone seeking to blend sports, entertainment, and business. If the sale proceeds, the new ownership group—comprised of Mark Walter, Todd Boehly, Josh Kushner, and Bob Iger—would command an unprecedented level of influence over one of the NBA’s most iconic teams. Yet the legal battle over the Buss Family Trust’s remaining shares underscores how deeply personal legacy, fiduciary responsibilities, and league governance intertwine in high‑stakes transactions.
In the meantime, the Lakers continue to compete on the court while the off‑court saga unfolds. Fans and analysts alike watch closely, aware that the outcome could reshape the franchise’s leadership structure for years to come, potentially ending Jeanie Buss’s historic tenure as the first female governor of an NBA team. The resolution of this dispute will not only determine the future of the Buss family’s involvement but also set a precedent for how ownership stakes are negotiated and protected within the league’s intricate framework of trust agreements and league bylaws.