All they need is Steve Harvey to referee…The Buss family’s 47-year connection to the Los Angeles Lakers could end in a courtroom-style family feud. Jeanie Buss is challenging her siblings’ reported decision to sell the family’s remaining 17.8% ownership interest to former Disney CEO Bob Iger and investor Joshua Kushner, who recently agreed to purchase Mark Walter’s majority stake at a $12.5 billion valuation.
Jeanie’s attorney says any family vote authorizing the sale is invalid because the Buss trust’s co-trustees—Jeanie, Janie and Joey Buss—must approve the transaction. A completed sale would leave Jeanie below the NBA’s 15% ownership threshold for serving as the Lakers’ governor, potentially ending the arrangement that was expected to keep her in control through 2030.
The dispute is the latest chapter in years of Buss family infighting following Jerry Buss’ death in 2013. Jeanie previously removed brother Jim from basketball operations, while Joey and Jesse lost their Lakers positions in 2025. The proposed sale still requires approval from the NBA Board of Governors, but the immediate question is whether the family trust can sell its final stake over Jeanie’s objection—or whether another very public Buss family battle will decide who controls the Lakers’ future. It’s showtime!
