Jeanie Buss' Lakers Fight Turns Ugly as Five Siblings Brand Her $2.2B Sale Challenge 'Baseless'

The Lakers ownership battle has taken another bitter turn, with five of Jeanie Buss' siblings formally moving to block her attempt to stop the sale of the family's 17.82 per cent stake, worth about $2.2 billion (£1.67 billion), and branding her legal challenge 'legally and factually baseless'.

Jimmy, Johnny, Janie, Joey and Jesse Buss filed their formal opposition in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday, escalating a family dispute that could determine whether Jeanie remains the Lakers' governor after the franchise's proposed $12.5 billion (£9.47 billion) change of control.

Five Buss Siblings Fire Back

The five siblings had voted to include the Buss Family Trust's remaining Lakers shares in the proposed transaction involving incoming owners Joshua Kushner and Bob Iger. Jeanie abstained from that vote before filing her own petition challenging the decision.

In their latest filing, the siblings argued that Jeanie's attempt to block the transaction is without legal or factual foundation. They also accused her of acting to protect her personal interests and alleged that her conduct could amount to a breach of her fiduciary duties as a trustee.

'While discussions among the siblings continue, their focus remains on facilitating the proposed transaction and the Trust's participation in it, while ensuring that all beneficiaries, including Jeanie, are treated equally,' the siblings said in a joint statement.

The wording suggests that, despite the increasingly hostile legal fight, negotiations within the Buss family have not completely broken down.

Why the $2.2 Billion Stake Matters

The dispute centres on the 17.82 per cent Lakers interest held by the Buss Family Trust. At the $12.5 billion (£9.47 billion) valuation attached to Walter's proposed sale to the Kushner-Iger group, that stake would be worth approximately $2.2 billion (£1.67 billion). But the fight is about far more than the money.

The NBA generally requires a team governor to own at least a 15 per cent stake in a franchise. If the Buss Trust sells its remaining interest, Jeanie would no longer meet that threshold under the existing ownership arrangement, putting her long-standing position with the Lakers at risk.

That makes the family's decision potentially decisive for Jeanie's future with the team her father, Jerry Buss, bought in 1979.

The 2017 Court Order at the Heart of the Fight

Jeanie's legal challenge is built around a 2017 court order that required the family's co-trustees to take reasonably available steps to ensure she remained the Lakers' controlling owner during her lifetime.

Her petition argues that selling the trust's stake would undermine that obligation. She has sought to have the siblings' vote declared invalid and has also asked the court to remove Janie and Joey as co-trustees, while pursuing contempt claims against members of the family.

The five siblings reject that interpretation. They maintain that the trust permits them to approve the sale and that their five votes represent the required majority of the living Buss children. They also argue that the 2017 court order does not prevent them from terminating the trust.

Lakers Legacy Hangs in the Balance

The bitter dispute follows the Buss family's decision in 2025 to surrender majority control of the Lakers to Mark Walter while Jeanie remained in place as governor. The family retained its minority stake, allowing her to continue in the role despite the change in ownership.

Walter has since agreed to sell his controlling interest to a group led by Kushner and Iger at a record $12.5 billion (£9.47 billion) valuation. The Buss siblings' decision to sell their remaining shares would effectively end the family's direct ownership interest in the franchise.

For now, the court will have to determine whether Jeanie can stop the sale or whether her five siblings have the authority to push it through. The legal battle has transformed what was once a family succession story into a fight over billions of dollars, and potentially Jeanie Buss' future at the Lakers.