The Los Angeles Lakers are once again in the spotlight-this time not for anything that happened on the court, but because of a seismic shift in ownership and a wave of internal drama that’s rippling through the organization.
On Wednesday, a report detailing the $10 billion sale of the Lakers from the Buss family to Mark Walter and his ownership group shed light on deep-rooted family infighting that ultimately led to the historic transaction. But the story didn’t stop there. It also dove into the complicated relationship between Lakers governor Jeanie Buss and franchise cornerstone LeBron James-a relationship that, while productive at times, has been marked by tension in recent years.
According to the report, Buss grew increasingly frustrated with the influence James and his longtime agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, wielded within the organization. That influence was amplified by the fact that Klutch also represented Anthony Davis, adding another layer to the power dynamic. Buss reportedly took issue with what she perceived as James’ ego and the way Klutch’s reach extended into front office decisions.
In response, Buss issued a statement defending James, distancing him from the family turmoil that prompted the sale. “It’s really not right, given all the great things LeBron has done for the Lakers, that he has to be pulled into my family drama,” she said. “To say that it wasn’t appreciated is just not true and completely unfair to him.”
Still, the friction between James and the Lakers has been an open secret for a while now. Even after he and Davis delivered a championship in the 2020 Orlando bubble, the years since have been filled with underwhelming finishes and behind-the-scenes tension.
In 2022, the team held a meeting with James, Paul, and Lakers brass in an effort to clear the air. But James’ public and private criticisms of the team’s direction have continued to be a sore spot for Buss and the front office.
The dynamic took another turn in February 2025, when the Lakers traded Davis to Dallas in a blockbuster deal that brought Luka Dončić to L.A. That move didn’t just reshape the roster-it also shifted the balance of power. Dončić is represented by Bill Duffy of WME, not Klutch, and that change was seen internally as a recalibration of influence at the top of the Lakers’ hierarchy.
That shift was underscored last summer when James, for the first time in his Lakers tenure, wasn’t offered an extension before he picked up his player option for the current season. It was a clear indication that the franchise, now under new ownership and leadership, was taking a different approach.
Jeanie Buss remains the team’s governor and is expected to hold that role for at least the next five years. In a sweeping move that signaled a new era, she dismissed several of her siblings from high-ranking positions within the organization, including Joey (VP of research and development), Jesse (assistant GM), Jim, Johnny, and Janie.
On the court, the Lakers have struggled to find consistent footing since their 2020 title run. They currently rank 13th in the league in win percentage over that span. Their recent draft record hasn’t helped either-first-round picks Jalen Hood-Schifino and Dalton Knecht have failed to make an impact, and second-rounder Bronny James, LeBron’s eldest son, hasn’t cracked the rotation.
This season, LeBron missed the first 14 games of what is now his record-setting 23rd year in the NBA. During that stretch, the Lakers went 10-4 and posted the league’s fifth-best record.
Since his return on Nov. 18, they’ve gone 16-12-solid, but not spectacular-and sit tied for the ninth-best record in that timeframe. Despite being tied for the sixth-best record overall, they rank just 17th in net rating (minus-0.4), a stat that hints at deeper issues beneath the surface.
One of those issues? The inconsistent chemistry between James, Dončić, and Austin Reaves.
When that trio has shared the floor this season, the Lakers have posted a troubling net rating of minus-9.8 across 140 minutes. To put that in perspective, that number would rank 29th in the league if projected over a full season-a far cry from what L.A. envisioned when they put this group together.
Off the court, things haven’t been much quieter. Rich Paul recently floated a hypothetical trade involving Reaves and Memphis big man Jaren Jackson Jr., the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year.
That prompted James to publicly clarify that Paul speaks for himself, not for him, when it comes to roster moves. It was a rare public distancing between the two longtime allies, and yet another wrinkle in a season filled with uncertainty.
At 41, James is still producing at a high level, but his future in purple and gold remains unclear. He’s playing this season on a $52.6 million player option, and so far, he hasn’t tipped his hand about what comes next.
The Lakers, meanwhile, are navigating a new era-one defined by a fresh ownership group, a reshaped power structure, and a franchise legend whose presence still looms large, even as the team tries to chart a new course. Whether that course leads back to championship contention or deeper into mediocrity remains to be seen. But one thing’s for sure: In L.A., the drama is never just on the floor.