Лос Анжелес Лэйкерсийн эзэмшлийн маргаан: Жени Басс ах дүүсээ хууль бус үйлдэл хийсэн хэмээн буруутгав

Jeanie Buss, controlling owner of the Los Angeles Lakers, has filed a petition with the Los Angeles County Superior Court to block her five siblings from selling the family’s share of the team.

The potential sale would end Buss’ ability to run the franchise as she has since her father died in 2013.

The petition is composed not strictly by legal arguments to block her five siblings’ vote to sell the family’s 17.8% stake in the team. It’s also an attack on their efforts to do so.

She accuses them of “devious behavior’’ and for trying to carry out a “scheme” to circumvent her and violate the family trust.

Jeanie Buss also says three of her siblings – Jim, Johnny and Jesse – should be held in contempt of court and that her two other siblings, Joey andJanie, should show cause why they should not be held in contempt of court.

A longtime family feud resurfaced Aug. 12 after Mark Walter, controlling owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, agreed to sell the Lakers to venture capitalist Josh Kushner and former Disney CEO Bob Iger at a $12.5 billion valuation, the most ever paid for a U.S. professional sports franchise.

Attorney Adam Streisand, who represents Jeanie Buss, said in a declaration filed with the court that on Aug. 17 ESPN reported all six Buss siblings had voted to sell the team and Jeanie Buss was “out’’ as controlling owner. The report was considered part of the “scheme,” according to the petition.

On Aug. 18, ESPN published a story reporting five of the siblings, with the exception of Jeanie, were united in their decision to sell the team. That would have a direct impact on her role with the Lakers.

The family must own at least 15% of the team for Jeanie Buss to remain controlling owner.

Tale of finances

The matter dates back to 1979, when Jerry Buss purchased the Lakers for $67.5 million and turned the team into one of the most storied franchises in sports. Upon his death in 2013, all six of his children were given equal shares of his stake in the team and Jeanie was named his successor.

In 2017, Jeanie Buss filed a lawsuit accusing two of her brothers, Jim and Johnny, of trying to oust her as controlling owner. A court order affirmed she was the controlling owner and directed the family co-trustee to take “all actions reasonably available’’ to ensure that continued. That year, Jeanie fired Jim Buss as the team’s head of basketball operations

In June 2025, the Buss family agreed to sell the majority of the Lakers to Walter on a valuation of $10 billion, and the sale took into account Jeanie Buss’ position with the team.

According to Jeanie Buss’ petition, “Specifically, the co-trustees enabled each beneficiary to receive substantial wealth while preserving the Buss family’s ownership interest in the Lakers above the 15% threshold required for Jeanie to remain Controlling Owner, and while securing a contractual commitment from the new owner to maintain Jeanie as Controlling Owner for at least five years, through October 30, 2030.’’

Jeanie Buss’ track record

The Lakers have won 17 NBA championships, more than any team but the Boston Celtics, who have won 18.

But since Jerry Buss died in 2013, the Lakers have won just one championship. And after his death, the Lakers failed to make the playoffs for six consecutive seasons.

There is no mention of the team’s struggles in a section of the petition outlining Jeanie Buss’ successes as controlling owner.

The petition states, “During her tenure, among other of her extraordinary achievements, she overhauled the front office, signed LeBron James, traded for Anthony Davis, and delivered the 2020 Championship, becoming the first female Controlling Owner to win an NBA title, before obtaining Luka Dončić and while growing the Lakers to a record valuation for an NBA franchise.’’

The $12.5 billion Kushner and Iger have agreed to pay for the team reflects the massive growth of the team’s value – from their father’s purchase of $67.5 million, not to mention a growth of 25% in about a year.

According to the petition, two of the Lakers’ minority owners, Patrick Soon-Shiong and Ed Roski Jr., “have made the determination, as has Jeanie, that the value of Lakers stock will continue to increase over the value of the stock in the current proposed offer…and, for that reason, they have no intent to sell their Lakers stock at this time.’’

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lakers legal saga continues: Jeanie Buss accuses siblings of ‘devious behavior’ in petition