Jeanie Buss accuses siblings of 'cloak and dagger' tactics in Lakers' family saga — SkimNews
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- Jeanie Buss said in a Wednesday court filing that her siblings ran a “cloak and dagger” media campaign out of jealousy and asked the judge to block a share sale that would end her Lakers governorship.
- Joey Buss and the other siblings said in an Oct. 16 filing that Jeanie’s petition is self-interested and that beneficiaries’ expressly granted voting rights justify their sale effort, asking the court to dismiss her claim.
- Mark Walter bought a majority Lakers stake from the Buss family in 2025 at a $10 billion valuation; the family retained 17.82%, just above the NBA’s 15% minimum for control, along with go-along rights.
- Johnny Buss was among five siblings who voted on Aug. 17 to sell the family’s remaining Lakers shares to Bob Iger and Josh Kushner, who seek to buy the team from Walter at a $12.5 billion valuation; each sibling stands to gain an additional $371 million if the entire stake is sold.
- Jeanie Buss asked the court to remove Joey and Janie as co-trustees, hold them in contempt, find Jim, Johnny and Jesse liable for aiding and abetting a violation of the 2017 order, and reimburse her legal costs.
- Mark Walter and Josh Kushner have reportedly agreed on all outstanding sale terms, with formal signing expected soon; once signed, the deal receives NBA review, and go-along rights can be invoked only after Walter formally notifies the family that he signed a sale agreement.
Why it matters: At stake are the Lakers’ 17.82% family stake and $371 million per sibling if the full stake is sold, plus Jeanie’s control under a 2017 court order. The dispute is scheduled for a Dec. 8 hearing, leaving the court to decide whether the family can sell and whether Jeanie remains the controlling owner.
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