TITLE: Jeanie Buss Says Late Father Would Have Supported Sale of Lakers Majority Stake
SLUG: jeanie-buss-says-father-would-have-supported-lakers-sale
CONTENT:
Los Angeles Lakers governor Jeanie Buss believes her late father, Jerry Buss, would have endorsed the family’s decision to transfer majority control of the franchise to billionaire investor Mark Walter in 2025.
Speaking with CNBC, Buss said her father’s priority was keeping the Lakers among the NBA’s elite. “What was important to him was that the Lakers stay at the top of the NBA, and to stay at the top of the NBA, you need to have the resources,” she told the network.
In 2022 Buss told the Los Angeles Times she had not considered selling the team, citing her father’s wish that the club remain in family hands. The stance shifted as she and her five siblings weighed Walter’s financial capacity and opted to sell him a controlling interest. Walter, already a 27% minority shareholder and co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, holds a net worth that far exceeds that of the Buss family.
Family retains minority position
The terms of the 2025 agreement left the Buss family with a 15% stake, allowing Jeanie Buss to continue as team governor. The Lakers announced at the time that she would remain in that post for another five years. “That’s what I agreed to,” Buss said, adding that she and Walter are “very comfortable with the way things are set up.”
Building around Doncic
Buss also confirmed the organization plans to construct its roster around All-NBA guard Luka Dončić this offseason and beyond. The approach does not automatically close the door on LeBron James, but Buss noted the four-time MVP has not informed management of any intention to stay in Los Angeles after the 2025-26 campaign. “Never say never, but he certainly hasn’t given an indication,” she said. “He’s earned the right to decide how his career will go.”
Source: Hoops Rumors
