Los Angeles Lakers governor Jeanie Buss is challenging her siblings’ vote to sell the family’s remaining 17.8% stake in the team.
The Buss family decided to sell their remaining shares to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger at the same $12.5 billion valuation that Mark Walter agreed to last week, according to a story earlier on Monday from ESPN’s Shams Charania. Based on a tag-along clause that was present in the prior transaction to Walter in June 2025, they feel they have the right to sell. According to sources who spoke to ESPN, this clause allowed the family to participate in any sale and valuation Walter was able to obtain for his shares.
A 2017 court decision, according to Jeanie Buss’s attorney Adam Streisand, stated that no sale may be “effectuated without approval by the co-trustees, i.e. Jeanie, Janie and Joey Buss.”
If the deal goes through, Jeanie Buss would no longer have the required ownership percentage to continue serving as the team’s governor, potentially putting controlling ownership of the Lakers at risk. When Walter initially purchased the team, they made a deal whereby she would continue to be the franchise’s controlling owner until 2030. Last week, Iger told the California Post that he planned to keep his half of the bargain with Buss, but he also added:
“If something changes, then it changes.”
According to insiders, Iger and Buss met late last week and talked about the changeover from Walter.
