Los Angeles Lakers governor Jeanie Buss has filed a court document accusing her siblings of orchestrating a cloak and dagger
campaign to sell the family’s 17.8% stake in the team, which could remove her as governor. The dispute centers on a 2017 court order and a $12.5 billion sale to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger, with a Dec. 8 hearing set to resolve the conflict.
In a court filing reviewed by ESPN, Jeanie Buss alleged her five siblings conspired against her through the media, claiming they were jealous of her role as the Lakers’ governor. The siblings, including co-trustees Janie and Joey Buss, voted to sell the family’s remaining shares to the Kushner-Iger ownership group, which values the Lakers at $12.5 billion. Jeanie argues this violates a 2017 court order requiring co-trustees to ensure her continued control of the franchise.
Legal Battle Over Lakers’ Ownership
The Buss family retained a 17.8% stake after Mark Walter’s 2025 purchase of the Lakers, just above the NBA’s 15% threshold for governorship. Jeanie’s attorneys contend the siblings’ vote to sell the shares using go-along rights
is void, as it breaches the 2017 trust agreement. Respondents respond [by] casting themselves as victims, when in reality, the entire episode is their own false flag operation,
the filing states.
In 2017 the siblings also went to war over control of the Lakers. Buss’ lawyer contends that the siblings cannot vote to sell the remaining family shares with her consent.The five other siblings who voted to sell this morning believe that the tag along provision in the sale to…
The siblings, however, argue Jeanie’s stance lacks merit, claiming they exercised their voting rights as beneficiaries.
In a subsequent filing, the siblings alleged Jeanie operated outside her duties as a trustee to maintain her position as the Lakers’ governor, a role she was to hold for at least five years under the 2025 sale terms. Jeanie’s lawyers countered that the siblings’ actions secretly pursued unlawful action behind Jeanie’s back
and conspired to leak details to ESPN, as per a court filing obtained by The Athletic.
The legal battle stems from a dispute over whether the siblings’ sale of shares violates a 2017 court order that established Jeanie as the controlling owner. The siblings voted to sell the 17.8% stake, triggering Jeanie’s legal challenge. Thus, the Purported Resolution is void on its face,
the filing states, referencing the siblings’ attempt to sell the shares. This is the third filing in Los Angeles Superior Court since the trust exercised its “go-along rights” in the sale to Kushner.
The Buss family’s 17.8% stake was retained after Walter’s $10 billion purchase in 2025, with the trust receiving go-along rights. Jeanie has attempted to block the sale, citing the 2017 court order that required co-trustees to maintain her governorship. The siblings’ vote to sell the shares occurred without consulting Jeanie, who abstained from the vote.
Implications for Jeanie’s Role
If the Buss family sells its shares, each sibling could receive $371 million via the go-along provision. Jeanie, however, would lose her governor role unless she maintains at least 15% ownership. The NBA requires a controlling owner to hold 15%, and the current trust stake is 17.8%. A Dec. 8 hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court will determine whether the sale proceeds and Jeanie’s future with the franchise.
Bob Iger and Josh Kushner’s ownership group has indicated that Jeanie’s agreement with Walter to remain governor through 2030 is contingent on the resolution of the family dispute. The franchise’s future under Kushner and Iger remains uncertain, with Jeanie’s role hanging in the balance.
The siblings’ filing claims Jeanie’s actions are “self-interested,” arguing she sought to block the sale to maintain her governorship. The conflicts that ensued after Dr. [Jerry] Buss’s death [in 2013] were sadly inevitable, and no doubt intensified given that Dr. Buss chose his daughter over four sons to be his successor,
Jeanie’s lawyers wrote in the Wednesday filing. The siblings, however, maintain their position as beneficiaries of the trust.
The legal battle has drawn attention to the NBA’s governance rules, which require a 15% ownership stake for a governor. Jeanie’s current stake of 17.8% ensures her role, but selling the shares would reduce it below the threshold. The siblings' attempt to sell the stake has also prompted questions about the family's trust structure and fiduciary duties. Jeanie’s lawyers argue the siblings’ actions violate their obligations as co-trustees.
ESPN reported that Kushner and Walter agreed to final terms of the sale of the franchise and are expected to sign a formal agreement soon. Once signed, the deal will require NBA approval, with a majority vote from the league’s 30 team owners. The Buss family’s ongoing dispute is not expected to impact the sale, which could be approved as soon as November’s NBA Board of Governors meeting, though a later approval remains more likely as the league conducts its due diligence.
Despite the legal turmoil, the Lakers have focused on their performance. The franchise’s future under Kushner and Iger remains uncertain, with Jeanie’s role hanging in the balance.
Jeanie Buss’s legal team has requested that co-trustees Joey and Janie be removed and held in contempt of court. The filing also seeks to have the siblings reimbursed for legal costs, citing their alleged violation of the 2017 court order. The siblings, in turn, argue that Jeanie’s petition is legally and factually baseless,
emphasizing their right to vote on the sale of the family’s shares.
The case has drawn comparisons to a “classic succession parable,” with Jeanie’s lawyers framing the siblings’ actions as an attempt to undermine her legacy. Respondents’ obsession with tearing down Jeanie and their inability to accept that she would be a part of the Lakers’ future is borne of this classic succession parable,
the filing states. The siblings, however, maintain their position as equal beneficiaries of the trust.
As the Dec. 8 hearing approaches, the outcome will determine whether Jeanie retains her governorship or if the Buss family’s stake is sold to Kushner and Iger. The dispute highlights the complex dynamics of family ownership in professional sports, with legal and financial stakes that extend beyond the court.
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