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The Los Angeles Lakers look a lot different today than they did a few months after the Buss family sold a majority stake in the franchise.
Jeanie Buss sold her interest to the current president and majority owner of Los Angeles Dodgers in June after having owned the majority of the franchise since 1979.
However, a detailed report from ESPN made it seem like the writing was on the wall amid tensions within the front office, as well as between Buss and LeBron James.
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LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers controls the ball against the Memphis Grizzlies in the second half at Crypto.com Arena on January 4, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
ESPN reported that Buss was unhappy with speculation that James chose the Lakers during his free agency in 2018, rather than the Lakers pursuing and acquiring him.
But more recently, Buss “complained privately” about “what she felt was James’ inflated ego and the overt control that he and Klutch Sports, which represents both James and Anthony Davis, sometimes exerted over the organization” while James and Davis were teammates.
One decision the Lakers made in 2024 that sparked controversy was the selection of James’ son Bronny in the NBA draft. Despite struggling during his lone year at USC — largely due to his recovery from a sudden cardiac arrest — the Lakers selected James with the 55th overall pick.
LeBron James and Bronny James of the Los Angeles Lakers take the court for the first time during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena on October 22, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)
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Speculation was that James had influence on the selection, and ESPN’s reporting seemed to confirm that.
“And when the Lakers drafted James’ son Bronny with the 55th pick in the 2024 draft, Jeanie privately remarked that James should be grateful for such a gesture, but she felt that was not the case,” ESPN reported. “That summer, while discussing a new contract for James, Jeanie seemed more resigned to the fact that they would have to do it – almost reluctantly accepting that they would take a huge PR hit by not doing it.”
Representatives for James and Klutch did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Buss reportedly considered trading James to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2022.
When Jerry Buss died in 2013, the Lakers were passed down to his children and Jeanie has served as the team’s governor ever since. She continued to oversee day-to-day operations and reports indicate she will remain governor for another five years.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James gestures during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets, Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
The Lakers won 11 of their 17 championships under Buss’ ownership, with their last in 2020. This is, however, their only title since the death of Jerry Buss.
