The Lakers are one of the most storied franchises in all of sports. A big reason for the ascension to global recognition is thanks to the Buss family. Ever since Jerry Buss acquired the Lakers, they have been the pinnacle of entertainment in the NBA. Unfortunately, the inner workings of the team haven’t been as pretty as they seem to the naked eye.
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A great deal has changed since Jerry Buss purchased the team in 1979. Jerry would eventually pass away in 2013, while giving the reins to the franchise to his daughter Jeanie. At the time, each of his children had a role within the team. Fast forward to today, and that is no longer the case.
In October 2025, Mark Walter purchased the Lakers for $10 billion. The finalization of the deal truly marked the end of an illustrious era in Lakers history. It wasn’t simply a transition of ownership, but also consisted of the firing of each Buss family member.
The removal of the Buss family began in 2017 at the hands of Jeanie herself. She relieved her older brother Jim from his duties as executive vice president of basketball operations.
Jeanie’s decision to publicly fire Jim didn’t sit well with the eldest of the siblings, Johnny. At the time, he was the executive vice president of strategic development. At the conclusion of the 2016-17 season, he would resign from his position.
That would leave Janie, Joey and Jesse as the remaining family members working for the team under Jeanie. When the team was suddenly sold to Walter, Janie saw the writing on the wall. Unfortunately, her attempts at reasoning with her sister fell on deaf ears.
“Janie pleaded to not be fired: ‘Please, let me resign,'” ESPN journalist Baxter Holmes said. “She was out but would be paid through the end of the calendar year.”
Jeanie quickly learned what it took to separate family from business. However, that didn’t mean her sister didn’t take offense to her actions.
“She felt disappointed and disrespected, like a crumpled-up piece of paper thrown into the trash,” Holmes revealed.
As all of this took place, the youngest brothers, Joey and Jesse, maintained their job security. They served as the head of the team’s scouting department.
They would experience the same fate as the rest of their siblings in November of 2025. Only Jeanie retained her job as the Lakers prepared to fully transition under Mark Walters’ leadership.
At least for the Buss family, each sibling has stock within the team. They may no longer be majority owners, but they are still a part of the identity of the Lakers organization.
