The Buss family dispute around the Lakers has taken on a new layer, and NBA commissioner Adam Silver could wind up in the middle of it.
Jeanie Buss, the longtime Los Angeles Lakers governor, is at odds with her five siblings over the family’s remaining 17.8% stake in the team. Her siblings appear determined to sell those shares, while Jeanie does not want to sell and is challenging the move, which would keep her in place as governor.
Because the matter has become a legal fight, there’s no reason to expect a quick resolution. In situations with this much money involved, things can drag out and get messier before they settle down. According to Tom Friend of the Sports Business Journal, Silver may step in to try to help resolve the standoff.
If Silver does get involved, he could potentially speed things along or serve as an intermediary, something that seems badly needed given the tension inside the family. The rift between Jeanie Buss and her siblings is not new, and the divide has been clear for some time.
While that uncertainty hangs over the franchise, the Lakers have still been getting work in. The team recently finished its minicamp in Slovenia, where Luka Doncic hosted the group in his home country.
Plenty of video from the weekend showed the Luka-led Lakers spending time together off the court, but they also got their reps in on the floor.
Roll the tape - fellas are hoopin’ in Slovenia 🎥 pic.twitter.com/dXgUBzpuy9
That kind of time together matters for a roster with so many new faces. Before training camp and the NBA preseason begin, the Lakers need every chance they can get to build chemistry.
For now, the off-court drama and the on-court work are running on separate tracks. The Lakers are moving toward their first preseason game on Oct. 5, when they’ll hit the road to face the Sacramento Kings at the Golden 1 Center.
In Other News...
Lakers Face A Crucial Jonathan Kuminga Decision Before Camp
Jonathan Kuminga is still on the market as training camp approaches, and the Lakers have emerged as the team to watch in a decision that could shape the last stretch of their offseason. Los Angeles and Minnesota are the primary suitors, but the Lakers reportedly have the stronger pitch, with a chance to offer him a starting role and the prospect of a better contract next season.
Minnesotas path is more limited, with only the taxpayer mid-level exception available, while Kuminga continues to hold out for a more favorable deal after declining a player option with the Atlanta Hawks. For the Lakers, the appeal is obvious, but the timing matters too, because this is the kind of move that can affect both the rotation and the financial flexibility they want to preserve. [Read more 🡒]
Luka Doncic Draws Off-Court Buzz During Lakers Trip To Slovenia
A Lakers mini-camp trip to Slovenia had already turned into a useful basketball reset for Luka Doncic, but the off-court chatter followed quickly enough. Slovenian model Anja Jenko drew attention after posting a swimsuit photo as reports circulated that she was at the same nightclub as the Lakers during the visit, adding another layer of curiosity to a trip that was already getting noticed back home.
Even so, there is no confirmed evidence that Doncic or any other Lakers player spent private time with Jenko, and the buzz has mostly stayed in the realm of public speculation. Doncic, meanwhile, is still dealing with a child support dispute with his ex-fiance Anamaria Goltes while also turning his focus toward the upcoming season, which is where the Lakers would much rather have the attention stay. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Still Have One Frontcourt Decision That Could Shape Luka's Season
The Lakers have already remade the center room with Walker Kessler coming in via sign-and-trade and Kevon Looney added for depth, but the frontcourt picture still does not feel finished. For a team trying to support Luka with more size and stability around him, the next move at big man could end up mattering just as much as the first two.
Los Angeles is still looking at ways to add another frontcourt piece, whether that comes through trade or free agency, and that leaves at least one roster question hanging over the rest of the offseason. A reported three-team framework involving Myles Turner has surfaced, but nothing has been confirmed, so the Lakers are still in the stage where the idea of a final upgrade is there without the answer yet attached to it. [Read more 🡒]