It looks like both sides are digging in their heels ahead of a fight between Jeanie Buss and her siblings.
News of the Buss family agreeing to sell their nearly 18% stake in the Lakers was quickly followed by Jeanie’s opposition to the sale. On Tuesday, the family responded to Jeanie’s claims with a statement to Shams Charania of ESPN.
Here is the full statement:
The Los Angeles Lakers have never been just a basketball team. They have been one of the greatest privileges of our lives.
Our focus has always been on what we believe is best for the Lakers, the fans who have supported this franchise for generations and the greater Los Angeles community.
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.
We have tremendous respect for Bob Iger and Josh Kushner and believe they understand what the Lakers represent to Los Angeles and our incredibly loyal fan base. We are confident they will honor everything this franchise stands for while building upon the foundation our father created.
Clearly, the family is focused on moving forward with the sale, which is to be expected since they were the ones who voted for it. Of the two sides, the non-Jeanie siblings are definitely winning the PR battle right now.
Both this statement and the one when the sale was initially reported were well-crafted and portray the family making the decision that’s best for the Lakers. Portraying it in that light is a great win in the court of public opinion.
On the other hand, Jeanie’s letter about her siblings’ decision didn’t have the same vibe. It felt much more aggressive and dismissive about their wishes with an attitude that she knows best. Because she was put on the back foot, it was always going to be hard for her to come off as anything other than defensive, but that’s how her letter came across.
Unfortunately, a public back-and-forth is likely how portions of this will play out. It doesn’t really serve anyone’s best interests in doing so, but given how the family has handled things throughout the last decade, it feels like it’s the path we’re heading down.
You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.
