Despite two of her siblings agreeing to sell their shares in the San Diego Padres, Jeanie Buss has reached an impasse with them regarding the Los Angeles Lakers' ownership. A legal petition filed by Buss, the Lakers' governor and an executive producer for Running Point, states that she was not consulted, informed, or in agreement with any sale of the family's remaining 17.8% stake in the championship-winning team.

Buss and her legal team argue that selling the Lakers' stake at this time would be detrimental to business, as the team is a growing asset with continuously increasing value. This assertion follows an announcement on August 17, just days after Bob Iger and Josh Kushner acquired over 63% of the franchise for $12.5 billion from Mark Walter. At that time, the other Buss siblings expressed their desire to "move on and exit gracefully." However, Jeanie Buss and her lawyers promptly issued a rebuttal, which has now been formalized in court.

The legal document outlines Buss's demands, which include halting the "family fire sale" and removing siblings Joey and Janie Buss from their positions as co-trustees of the family's stake. She is also seeking a contempt of court ruling against her siblings for their "defiant" actions. A hearing on Buss's petition is scheduled for November 15, ahead of the NBA season's start on October 20.

If a sale proceeds, Jeanie Buss would lose her role as governor of the Lakers, a position that requires at least a 15% ownership stake to maintain. Even though the family sold the majority of its Lakers holdings to Mark Walter in June 2025 for $10 billion, Jeanie Buss, who secured a five-year governor term in that deal, is reportedly taking this family conflict very personally. The petition alleges that her siblings' actions are not driven by financial necessity but by animosity towards her and a willful disregard for the trust, a 2017 court order, their fiduciary duties, and their father Dr. Jerry Buss's intentions.

The current standoff could lead to significant legal ramifications, especially if it aligns with a previous court order from 2017. The petition also indicates that other Lakers stakeholders, including majority owners Iger and Kushner, have expressed their support for Jeanie Buss remaining the Controlling Owner and their intention to retain their own stakes.

When Iger and Kushner finalized their deal with Walter, Iger emphasized Jeanie Buss's integral role in the transaction. He stated to The California Post that he and his partners have "enormous respect and appreciation for Jeanie, her father and what they’ve contributed to this franchise" and intended to honor the agreement made between Mark Walter and Jeanie Buss.

As Iger and Kushner await approval of their Lakers purchase at the NBA Board of Governors meeting on September 15/16, the Buss family's internal dispute may not alter their control over the team, but it will undoubtedly cast a shadow over the proceedings.

Representatives for Iger and Kushner have not yet commented on the ongoing dispute within the Buss family.

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English Translation:

Jeanie Buss Plays Offense With Selling Siblings To Keep Lakers’ Stake

Despite two of her siblings now being on board with the San Diego Padres ownership, Jeanie Buss is clearly nowhere near an agreement with them concerning the Los Angeles Lakers. A petition filed in L.A. Superior Court by the Running Point EP and Lakers governor declares that Jeanie Buss "never agreed to any sale, was never consulted, and was never even informed." The filing aims to prevent the other five children of Dr. Jerry Buss from selling the family’s remaining 17.8% stake in the championship-winning team they owned for decades. The anointed heir and her lawyers argue it's actually bad business for the competitive siblings to sell right now, as the Lakers are a growth asset with "continuously skyrocketing value."

Back on August 17, just a few days after Bob Iger and Josh Kushner snagged over 63% of the fabled franchise for $12.5 billion from short-term owner Mark Walter, the other Buss children stated it was "time to use this opportunity to move on and exit gracefully while we still can." Within hours, Jeanie Buss and her lawyers issued a rebuttal, and today they made it court-stamped official.

In the five-claim document, Buss not only wants the family fire sale stopped but also seeks to have siblings Joey and Janie Buss removed as co-trustees of the clan’s stake. She also asks for a "contempt of court" measure to be brought down hard on her siblings for their "defiant" behavior. With the 2026/2027 NBA season starting on October 20, a hearing on Buss’ petition is currently on the LASC calendar for November 15.

If the Busses do sell, Jeanie will lose her governor role at the Lakers (one must own at least 15% of the team to qualify) and her controlling owner mantel.

Even though the family sold most of its Lakers holding to the now federally investigated Walter in June 2025 for a hefty $10 billion, Jeanie Buss (who received a five-year governor term out of the deal) is taking all this family drama very personally. "Their conduct is not driven by financial necessity but by animosity toward Jeanie and in willful disregard for the (Trust), this Court’s 2017 Order, their fiduciary duties, and Dr. Buss’s express intent," today’s petition says of Jeanie Buss’ siblings.

If present posturing continues and Buss holds hard to a previous court order from 2017 when the family last started playing legal dodgeball, that post-midterms hearing won’t be pretty. It also may see some big names pulled onto the court, literally and figuratively.

Giving a shout-out to the August 12 minted Lakers majority stakeholders Iger and Kushner, Buss’ filing states, "indeed, other owners of stakes in the Lakers have expressed their support for Jeanie remaining Controlling Owner, and have voiced their intent to hold, not sell, their stakes in the Lakers."

It’s true, when the ex-Disney boss and Thrive Capital founder made their deal with Dodgers boss Walter, Iger made a point of proclaiming Jeanie Buss was part of the package in his eyes.

“We have enormous respect and appreciation for Jeanie, her father and what they’ve contributed to this franchise,” Iger told Rupert Murdoch’s The California Post on August 12. “And we have every intention to honor the agreement that was made between Mark and Jeanie. If things change, they’ll change, but we’re going into this with enormous respect and appreciation for who she is and what she represents in the organization.”

Now, as Iger and Kushner await a near-sure approval of their Lakers purchase at the NBA Board of Governors’ September 15/16 meeting, the presence of the Buss family won’t change their sway over the 11-championship winning team — but it will leave a courtside stink on the whole thing.

Reps for Iger and Kushner did not respond to Deadline’s request for comment on the latest Buss family squabble.