Jeanie Buss Opposes Family’s Sale Of Remaining Lakers Stake To Bob Iger & Joshua Kushner

A family rift has erupted at the top of the Los Angeles Lakers, as Jeanie Buss publicly opposes her siblings’ plan to sell the family’s remaining ownership stake in the team.

The Deal at the Center of the Dispute

Five of the six Buss siblings — Joey, Jesse, Jim, Johnny and Janie — support selling the family’s remaining 17.8% stake in the Lakers to Bob Iger and Josh Kushner for roughly $12.5 billion. The sale would push Iger and Kushner’s combined ownership from about 65% to around 83% of the franchise, following their earlier purchase of Mark Walter‘s controlling stake.

Why Jeanie Is Fighting the Sale

Jeanie Buss is the lone holdout, and her opposition centers on control rather than money alone. NBA rules require a team governor to hold at least 15% ownership, and losing the family’s stake would strip her of the governor role she’s held since 2017 — a position she’s occupied since her father, Dr. Jerry Buss, died in 2013. Through attorney Adam Streisand, Jeanie argues a 2017 court order requires her approval as co-trustee of the family trust before any sale of the remaining shares can proceed, calling any vote to sell “a breach of trust, breach of fiduciary duty” and “in contempt of court.”

The Other Side

The five siblings backing the sale pushed back publicly, saying in a joint statement that they’re ready to “exit gracefully while we still can.” Their support triggered a tag-along clause forcing a family vote on the transaction.

A Family With a History of Conflict

This isn’t the Buss family’s first internal battle. Jeanie fired brother Jim from his basketball operations role back in 2017, and siblings Joey and Jesse were dismissed from front-office positions in late 2025 after initially opposing the sale of majority control to Mark Walter — a deal Jeanie ultimately cast the deciding vote to approve.

What’s at Stake

Beyond family politics, the outcome could affect Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka, a Jeanie ally, and comes as star Luka Dončić approaches free agency in 2028. Any sale would also require NBA Board of Governors approval, and Kushner would first need to divest from the Miami Heat.

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Article by USports Editors