Jim and Johnny Buss have reportedly been working behind the scenes to oust Jeanie Buss as the Los Angeles Lakers’ president and controlling owner. Their efforts have been temporarily blocked, as Jeanie filed for a temporary restraining order in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Friday.
Jeanie has recently made a number of personnel decisions that included a decrease in power for Jim and the hiring of Magic Johnson as president of basketball operations.
The siblings share ownership of the team via a family trust. Their late father, Jerry Buss, passed down the team.
The brothers’ plan was to hold a meeting next week to elect a new board of four directors—a board which did not include Jeanie. She must be on that board to be the controlling owner.
“This is no doubt the beginning and not the end of the game-playing,” Jeanie’s attorney Adam Streisand said, via the Los Angeles Times. “They don’t have a legal leg to stand on. This is a legal strategy doomed for failure.”
The brothers canceled the meeting.
“Both Jim Buss and Johnny Buss had hoped that any issues would be handled within the family,” Robert Sacks, an attorney for the brothers, said.
Sacks said Jeanie “inexplicably rushed to court” and “there are no issues.”
Jeanie’s attempt to secure a temporary restraining order will be heard by a probate court in May, so we’ll know more about the future of the Lakers’ ownership in a few months.
