What happened?
Jeanie Buss filed a petition in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday to block her five siblings from selling the family's 17.82% share of the Los Angeles Lakers, a move that could jeopardize her 15% NBA board ownership requirement. The 97-page legal document alleges devious behavior by siblings Janie, Joey, Jim, Johnny and Jesse for excluding her from the recent sale discussions involving incoming owners Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner. Last result: Los Angeles Lakers 110-115 Oklahoma City Thunder (2026-05-12).
Why it matters for Los Angeles Lakers
The Buss family has owned the Los Angeles Lakers since 1979, but internal disputes intensified after Jerry Buss' 2020 death. The 2017 court order mandated co-trustees to ensure Jeanie remains the NBA controlling owner, a role she needs to maintain her 15% stake for NBA board eligibility through at least 2025. Her siblings' planned sale threatens this arrangement, with the petition specifically requesting removal of Janie and Joey as co-trustees for breach of fiduciary duty. The Lakers' recent 1W-0D-4L form (LLLLW, most recent first) shows declining performance heading into the contentious legal battle.
What comes next?
Attorneys for the controlling governor seek to declare the siblings' votes void and hold Jim, Johnny and Jesse in contempt for aiding and abetting the unauthorized sale attempt. The petition demands contempt proceedings against all non-compliant siblings while asserting Jeanie's right to remain the team's controlling owner. This legal maneuver follows the Lakers' 110-115 loss to Oklahoma City Thunder on May 12, 2026, and precedes the 2025 sale completion where Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner acquired majority stakes from Mark Walter. The Buss family's struggle reflects broader NBA ownership challenges as the league navigates complex trust structures.
How does this affect the Lakers' future?
The petition emphasizes that the 2025 transaction with Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner demonstrated co-trustees could fulfill duties while delivering financial returns, yet the current dispute risks destabilizing the Lakers' leadership continuity. Jeanie Buss, the third-oldest child of Jerry Buss, must now navigate renewed court battles to protect her stake amid the Lakers' ongoing playoff push. The legal conflict unfolds against the backdrop of the Lakers' 1W-0D-4L recent form, with their next critical games ahead of a run of matches you can check on our [fixtures](/fixtures) page. The outcome will determine whether Jeanie retains her essential 15% ownership threshold for NBA board governance.
Key stakeholders involved
Jerry Buss purchased the Los Angeles Lakers in 1979 as a family business, and his six children have struggled to reconcile differences since his 2020 passing. The petition states Jeanie believed she had resolved sibling scheming in 2017, but recent actions prove otherwise. The Lakers' controlling governor, Jeanie Buss, now faces the challenge of preserving her stake while maintaining the team's competitive trajectory amid the 2026 ownership turmoil.
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