The Buss family fight over the Lakers is back in the spotlight, and this time five siblings are openly pushing back against Jeanie Buss in court.
Jimmy, Johnny, Janie, Joey and Jesse Buss - described as five of the six siblings who voted to sell the Trust’s shares in the Lakers - filed their formal opposition this week, saying Jeanie Buss’s petition is “legally and factually baseless.” In a statement to The Athletic, the siblings said, “While discussions among the siblings continue, their focus remains on facilitating the proposed transaction and the Trust’s participation in it, while ensuring that all beneficiaries, including Jeanie, are treated equally. Today’s filing is a necessary step to protect those interests and ensure the transaction proceeds on schedule.”
According to a source with knowledge of the siblings’ thinking, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing legal dispute, their goal is for the Lakers’ sale to Kushner’s ownership group to close without legal delays. The trust also wants to ensure that any arrangement that could allow for Jeanie Buss to retain shares in the Lakers be offered equally to all other siblings.
The dispute comes after Jeanie Buss filed a petition in court as part of the latest round of family conflict surrounding the franchise. The Buss Family Trust still held 17.8 percent of the Lakers in last summer’s sale to Walter, a stake that allowed her to continue running the team because NBA Governors must hold at least 15 percent ownership of their team. If that stake is sold, Jeanie Buss would lose her position and her active involvement with the Lakers would end.
For now, the family standoff is headed for the courts. With five siblings aligned against her, Jeanie Buss is facing a tougher road in trying to keep her hold on the franchise.
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