Jeanie Buss’ Is Contesting Siblings’ Attempts To Sell Lakers’ Share

Aug 18, 2026 06:29 AM - 1 hour ago 7

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Jeanie Buss’ lawyer wrote successful a missive connected Monday day that the Los Angeles Lakers’ controlling governor opposes her sibling’s attempts to waste the family’s remaining 17.8% ownership liking to the Lakers’ caller mostly owners Bob Iger and Josh Kushner.

Buss’ lawyer besides cited documents that a judge ruled successful 2017 that Jeanie will stay the Lakers’ controlling proprietor for the remainder of her life, and that the bid has not changed.

“On behalf of Jeanie Buss, I request that your clients make clear publically that Jeanie Buss is the Controlling Owner of the Los Angeles Lakers and that your clients shall return nary action connected this expected “vote” to waste the 17.8% stake,” Jeanie’s lawyer, Adam Streissand wrote successful a missive to the Buss siblings’ attorneys, including Jason Kahout, Xochitl Cortez and Ryan J. Barncastle.

In that letter, Streissand disputed ESPN’s first report that the Buss family decided to waste its number ownership stock partially because Jeanie has not approved of specified measure. Such a solution requires 4 of the six Buss siblings to ballot successful favour of it among Joey, Jesse, Jim, Johnny and Janie. Jeanie, Janie and Joey Buss are besides considered the family’s existent co-trustees. Should each aliases the mostly of the Buss siblings ballot yes to guarantee a sale, Jeanie Buss would suffer her position arsenic the Lakers’ politician since the NBA requires the team’s respective politician to support astatine slightest a 15% ownership stake.

“No waste of the JAB Trust’s 17.8% ownership liking successful the Los Angeles Lakers, Inc. tin beryllium effectuated without support by the existent co-trustees, i.e., Jeanie, Janie and Joey Buss,” Streissand wrote successful the letter. Pursuant to the JAB Trust and the attached Court Order, the co-trustees are bound to ballot the Los Angeles Lakers, Inc. shares to guarantee that the minimum 15% ownership request is maintained successful bid to guarantee that Jeanie Buss whitethorn stay Controlling Owner. Any effort by the co-trustees to do otherwise, and immoderate effort to assistance aliases abet the co-trustees arsenic such, would represent a breach of trust, breach of fiduciary work and beryllium successful contempt of court. On behalf of Jeanie Buss, I request that your clients make clear publically that Jeanie Buss is the Controlling Owner of the Los Angeles Lakers and that your clients shall return nary action connected this expected ‘vote’ to waste the 17.8% stake.”

Jeanie fired Jim successful 2017 arsenic the Lakers’ caput of hoops operations. Jeanie besides fto spell of Joey (G League) and Jesse (scouting) arsenic portion of the organization’s beforehand agency shakeup soon aft the Buss family sold its mostly shares to Mark Walter. The Buss family’s latest effort could past consequence successful Jeanie Buss’ termination. Regardless, Jeanie Buss intends to litigate to guarantee the Buss family maintains its ownership shares.

“In immoderate event, immoderate “vote” by immoderate of the Buss siblings would beryllium and is void ab initio,” Streissand wrote successful the letter. “Not only would specified a “vote” conflict pinch the clear and definitive request that the trustees of the Jo Ann C. Buss 2006 Children’s Electing Small Business Trust, dated September 1, 2006 (the “JAB Trust”), ballot the shares of the Los Angeles Lakers, Inc. to guarantee that Jeanie Buss remains controlling owner, but arsenic I americium definite you are aware, successful April 2017, I obtained from the Los Angeles Superior Court, the attached Order connected Petition for Instructions to Co-Trustees Concerning Appointment of Controlling Owner of the Los Angeles Lakers, Inc. The Court ordered, among different things, arsenic follows: “The Co-trustees of the Trust are hereby instructed to return each actions reasonabl[y] disposable to them, including voting the Trust’s shares, to guarantee that [Jeanie Buss] is elected arsenic the Controlling Owner of the Lakers connected an yearly ground during [Jeanie Buss’s] life absent a further bid of this Court modifying the Trust based upon impervious of circumstances justifying the modification nether applicable law.”

CNBC, The Athletic and ESPN besides reported connected the contents of Streissand’s letter.