Lakers Sibling Feud Escalates: Court Hearing Pushed to December as Jeanie Buss Seeks to Block Sibling Stake Sale
The high-stakes legal feud tearing through the Buss family over the record-breaking $12.5 billion sale of the Los Angeles Lakers has shifted its timeline. On Friday, September 4, 2026, attorneys representing acting Lakers governor Jeanie Buss filed for a continuance in Los Angeles Superior Court, pushing the scheduled hearing from November 5 to December 8, 2026.
As reported by Lakers Nation:
"According to court documents, attorneys for Jeanie Buss filed for a continuance in her petition to stop the family trust from selling the Lakers. The hearing is now scheduled for Dec. 8."
The legal battle stems from a deep family fracture following Mark Walter's majority sale to billionaires Josh Kushner and Bob Iger. While Jeanie's five siblings (Johnny, Jimmy, Janie, Joey, and Jesse) voted to utilize tag-along rights to cash out their remaining 17.8% minority stake in the franchise, Jeanie is legally contesting the move. Under NBA guidelines, a controlling owner or governor must maintain at least a 15% stake in the franchise. If the siblings' sale is completed, the Buss family's total ownership will drop below this threshold, forcing Jeanie out of her executive role.
In her petition, Jeanie has accused her siblings of a coordinated effort to remove her from franchise operations and has petitioned for the removal of Joey and Janie Buss from the family trust. Conversely, the siblings maintain that they are legally within their rights to execute the sale by majority vote.
As the legal battle stretches into the 2026-27 NBA regular season, the transition of power remains in limbo, though Josh Kushner is ultimately expected to serve as the team's sole controlling shareholder with Bob Iger as a minority investor.