The Buss family appeared to be run like any other drama-filled family business.
After new Lakers owner Mark Walter unceremoniously fired Jesse and Joey Buss on Thursday, the now-axed younger brother, Jesse, came after Jeanie for issues he saw in the franchise, which was sold for $10 billion in June.
Jesse, the former assistant general manager, revealed that he has zero communication with Jeanie or general manager Rob Pelinka.
“I haven’t spoken to either of them in … five months,” Jesse revealed to The Athletic, adding that he was treated “as an enemy.”
The Buss family had previously been involved in a power struggle within the organization, with Jeanie emerging as Governor and President in 2013 and running the team until the sale to Walter, a billionaire businessman and CEO of Guggenheim Partners.
Jeanie will run basketball operations for the next five years and it is unclear how involved she was in the decision to fire her siblings.
The Buss family previously believed that their father, the late Dr. Buss, wanted the team to be run in a power-sharing model, although that never really came to fruition.
Jesse added that he felt shut out of decision-making despite a prominent title.
“Yeah. Jeanie informed me that there would be a vote on the sale of the team,” Jesse said. “And with Rob, he just informed me of who we would be drafting, which is pretty consistent with how it’s gone in the last couple years.”
Jesse added that he had heard about what the team was doing through the media more than internal communications.
“I kind of felt siloed quite a bit, dating back to before, I guess, the 2023 draft,” Jesse said. “And I kind of didn’t think much of it, but you know, as time went on and there was a lack of communication between not only my sister and I, but you know, the organization as a whole — while I was combating various health issuesn… I kind of felt like the writing was on the wall.
Jesse, 37, also claimed that power in the Lakers organization was supposed to be handled by him and his older brother Joey, 41, who previously held the role of alternate governor and vice president of research and development.
“Dr. Buss’ idea was for Joey and I to run basketball operations one day,” Jesse said, before adding that Jeanie “fired everyone.”
There had been power struggles in the Lakers organization for decades, dating back to a standoff between Pelinka and Magic Johnson in 2019, the season before they last won the NBA Finals.
Los Angeles should be a bit better positioned going forward with Walter in control and the Lakers (11-4) trading for Luka Doncic last trade deadline to pair with LeBron James and rising star Austin Reaves.
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