Lakers ownership dispute intensifies as Buss siblings approve sale to Iger and Kushner
Five of Jerry Buss's children have voted to sell the family trust's remaining Lakers stake to a consortium led by Bob Iger and Josh Kushner, prompting legal challenges from sister Jeanie Buss over her role as governor.
The Buss family trust, which holds a 17.8% minority stake in the Los Angeles Lakers, is set to be sold to a group headed by media executive Bob Iger and investor Josh Kushner. The transaction, valued at billions of dollars, follows a prior sale of a majority stake to Mark Walter in 2025. Five of Jerry Buss’s six children—Johnny, Jimmy, Janie, Joey and Jesse—approved the minority-stake sale, a move that would remove Jeanie Buss from her position as team governor.
Jeanie Buss, who has served as the Lakers’ governor since her father’s death in 2013, has contested the sale. Her attorney cited a 2017 court ruling that requires the trust’s co-trustees to vote in a way that preserves her controlling ownership interest. The letter argues that any attempt to override that ruling would breach fiduciary duties and constitute contempt of court.
The family’s internal conflict dates back to the early 2000s, when Jeanie was identified as Jerry Buss’s successor. Disagreements over management decisions, firings, and the distribution of ownership shares have led to multiple legal disputes among the siblings. The latest development revives those tensions as the proposed sale would effectively end the Buss family’s direct involvement in Lakers governance.
Iger has pledged to honor the existing agreement that keeps Jeanie Buss on the NBA board of governors for at least five years, while the Buss siblings released a statement emphasizing their respect for the franchise and their belief that the new owners will uphold its legacy.
The matter is expected to head back to court, where the enforceability of the 2017 ruling and the trust’s voting provisions will be examined.