Lakers face ownership turmoil despite recent franchise sale
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Aug 18, 2026, 4:11 PM
Last updated Aug 18, 2026

The Los Angeles Lakers are dealing with a significant ownership crisis. Jeanie Buss's siblings sold the remaining 17.8% of the franchise to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger without her approval, leading to legal disputes. This follows a messy power struggle within the Buss family since Jerry Buss's death in 2013. The complexities increased after the previous owner, Mark Walter, flipped the franchise for a profitable $12.5 billion shortly after the initial sale, raising questions about Jeanie Buss's future role as team governor. Ongoing federal investigations into Walter's business practices may have contributed to this turbulent environment.
- •Jeanie Buss's siblings sold shares without her consent.
- •The Lakers faced years of internal conflict since Jerry Buss's passing.
- •Mark Walter initially purchased the team but sold it for $12.5 billion.
- •Walter's ownership included a federal investigation on loan fraud.
- •Legal disputes may continue as the season approaches.
- 4:11 PMYahoo Sports — The Lakers should be in better hands now. They just can’t escape the drama
"The Lakers' messy ownership situation packs more pressure into critical season
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