The Buss family’s drama over Lakers ownership just hit the court in a massive way, with Jeanie Buss filing a petition in Los Angeles Superior Court this week aiming to block her siblings’ move to sell their minority stake in the franchise. This isn’t just some casual family disagreement; we’re talking about a 97-page legal bombshell that calls out five of her own siblings and could totally reshape who holds the reins for the Purple and Gold.
The “Devious” Deal Jeanie Wants Blocked
So, what’s got Jeanie so heated? Five of the Buss siblings , Jim, Johnny, Janie, Joey, and Jesse , all voted to sell off the remaining 17.8% ownership stake held by the family trust. And guess who they’re trying to sell it to? None other than Josh Kushner and Bob Iger, who are already lined up to become the majority owners. It’s wild, right? These guys just agreed to buy the majority shares from Mark Walter for a whopping $12.5 billion. And get this: Walter only bought the Lakers from the Buss family for $10 billion less than a year ago! The money floating around this whole situation is absolutely insane, but the real shocker is the family infighting spilling out like this.
Jeanie Pulls No Punches, Demands Court Intervention
Jeanie Buss isn’t holding back, not one bit. In her petition, which the California Post got their hands on, she straight-up called her siblings’ behavior “devious.” Can you believe that? She stated she was “blinded” by the attempted sale, claiming the family’s statement to ESPN last week was “knowingly false.” Jeanie says she never agreed to any sale, was never consulted, and was never even informed. Her lawyer, Adam Streisand, is arguing that her siblings can’t legally pull off a sale without her blessing, and any family vote to sell would be “void.” This isn’t the first time Jeanie’s dealt with this, either. The petition mentioned she thought she’d put “all of her siblings’ scheming and manipulations behind her in 2017,” and now she’s “respectfully request[ing] relief from this Court a second time.” She’s asking for five specific orders, including telling trustees to obey a 2017 court order, declaring the current resolution void, surcharging and removing co-trustees Joey H. Buss and Janie M. Buss for breach of fiduciary duty, and even holding Joey H. Buss, Janie M. Buss, James, Johnny, and Jesse Buss in contempt of court and liable for aiding and abetting. Talk about dropping the hammer!
This whole mess is heading for a court hearing on November 5. What’s truly at stake here is Jeanie’s position as governor. NBA rules state that for her or the Buss family to remain in control, they need to hold at least 15% of the franchise. She’s been the team’s governor since 2013, taking over after her dad Jerry passed. When Mark Walter bought the majority ownership, the league announced she’d stay governor for at least five years, through 2030. Interestingly, Iger told The Post last week that he and Kushner plan to honor that agreement. But with the family fighting like this, who knows what’s going to happen by November? Get ready for a courtroom showdown that could rewrite the Lakers’ future.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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