Jeanie Buss Says Late Father Would Have Backed $10 Billion Lakers Sale
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Los Angeles Lakers governor Jeanie Buss believes her father, the late Jerry Buss, would have endorsed the family’s decision to sell a large portion of its controlling interest in the franchise to billionaire Mark Walter.
Speaking on CNBC, Buss said Jerry Buss’s priority was always to keep the Lakers among the NBA’s elite, a goal she argued required substantial financial resources. “To stay at the top of the NBA, you need to have the resources. You need to have everybody pulling together,” she said, according to ESPN’s Baxter Holmes.
Jerry Buss, who died in 2013, left 66 percent of the team to his six children. In June 2024, the siblings agreed to sell nearly half of that stake to Walter, valuing the club at $10 billion. The transaction closed in October 2025, reducing the family’s ownership to roughly 17 percent—enough for Jeanie Buss to retain her role as governor under league rules.
Following the sale, five of the six Buss siblings exited their roles with the organization. Jeanie Buss remained in charge on a new five-year contract. One team official told ESPN last month that she “fired everyone,” highlighting tensions within the family.
Buss emphasized that the decision to sell was a collective one aimed at preserving the franchise’s stature. “It’s about the Lakers and the greatness and what the fans expect,” she said.
Looking ahead, Buss said partnering with Walter offers stability as the team plans for a future centered on Luka Dončić while still leaving open the possibility of LeBron James returning after the final year of his contract. “I’m not going anywhere,” she added.
Source: Hoops Wire
