THE BLACK SHEEP

Jeanie Buss Escalates Feud in Family’s Lakers Sale Battle

A petition filed in Los Angeles Superior Court seeks to block the siblings’ sale of their minority stake in the team.

Jeanie Buss is not backing down without a fight. Buss, the governor of the Lakers who, with her five siblings, owns a 17.8 percent stake in the team, has filed a petition in Los Angeles Superior Court to block the sale of their minority ownership stake. In court documents, Buss called her siblings ‘devious’ and said she was ‘blinded’ by the attempted sale. Last week she told ESPN that she “never agreed to any sale, was never consulted, and was never even informed.” The petition asks the court to remove Buss siblings Joey and Janie as co-trustees and impose financial penalties on them for alleged breaches of fiduciary duty. It also seeks to hold James, Johnny and Jesse in contempt and liable for allegedly aiding and abetting the trustees. In a statement to ESPN, the five siblings maintained their position: “Johnny, Jimmy, Janie, Joey and Jesse have made the decision to sell the family’s remaining stake, and we remain united in that decision. We intend to move forward thoughtfully, respectfully and through the appropriate process.”