Photo via Yahoo Sports

Jeanie Buss alleges 'cloak and dagger' plot by siblings over Lakers sale

Los Angeles Lakers governor Jeanie Buss has escalated a bitter family feud by accusing her five siblings—Jimmy, Johnny, Janie, Joey, and Jesse—of orchestrating a coordinated smear campaign against her through media leaks. In court filings this week, Buss claims her siblings secretly pushed to sell their combined 17.8% stake in the team to Mark Walter’s buyers (Josh Kushner and Bob Iger) for $12.5 billion, undermining her position as governor.

The dispute centers on a 2017 court order that solidified Buss’s control over the Lakers, which her siblings now argue is being violated by their planned sale. Their legal opposition, filed October 7, dismisses Buss’s petition as ‘legally and factually baseless,’ while her attorneys counter that the sale violates trust terms and lacks proper notice.

A December 8 hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court will determine whether the siblings’ move complies with NBA ownership rules, where Buss must retain at least 15% to stay as governor. The siblings’ defense hinges on a ‘tag-along’ clause from Walter’s original sale, though Buss’s legal team argues it doesn’t apply to partial sales and that no formal offer for the trust’s shares exists.

Up nextNBA· 2h ago

Tyrese Maxey scores 38, Jaylen Brown returns to 76ers' lineup for 109-104 win over Hornets