Buss Siblings Seek Dismissal in Lakers Sale Dispute

Joey and Janie Buss have asked a Los Angeles court to reject sister Jeanie Buss’ effort to remove them as co-trustees and invalidate a vote to sell the family trust’s 17.82% Lakers stake. Their filing argues that five siblings had authority under the trust to vote to end it and that the co-trustees were required to carry out that decision; Jeanie did not join the vote. Jeanie argues the sale cannot proceed without her approval and relies on a 2017 court order concerning support for her role as the Lakers’ controlling governor. The stake is slated to be sold to a group led by Josh Kushner and Bob Iger as part of a transaction valuing the Lakers at $12.5 billion, which would leave Jeanie below the NBA’s 15% ownership threshold for a controlling governor. The dispute now heads toward a court decision over the trust’s terms and the siblings’ authority to proceed.