Drama Unfolds in Lakers’ Leadership
The Bass family’s situation resembles the ups and downs typical of any family-run business. Tensions escalated recently when Mark Walter, the new owner of the Lakers, dismissed Jesse and Joey Buss, leading to Jesse’s criticism of his sister, Jeannie Buss. This turmoil follows the franchise’s sale for a whopping $10 billion earlier in June.
Jesse Buss, who once served as the assistant general manager, expressed his frustrations, mentioning that he hadn’t communicated with Jeannie or general manager Rob Pelinka in, well, five months. He felt sidelined and treated more like an adversary than a family member.
“I haven’t talked to either of them in…five months,” he stated, feeling the disconnect keenly. It seems like the discord within the Bass family isn’t new. Jeannie took the reins as governor and president back in 2013, and the power struggles have persisted, even after the team was sold to Walter, the CEO of Guggenheim Partners.
For the next five years, Jeannie will oversee basketball operations. However, questions linger about her role in the decision to let the brothers go. The family previously thought their late father, Dr. Bass, envisioned a shared governance model for the team, though that hope never fully materialized.
Despite his title, Jesse felt excluded from critical decisions. He mentioned, “Jeannie informed me that there will be a vote on selling the team.” He also noted that Rob had kept him updated about draft choices, which seemed consistent with previous practices. Still, he largely learned about team developments through the media rather than official channels.
“Before the 2023 draft, I felt pretty isolated,” Jesse admitted, reflecting on the lack of communication that had developed over time. He battled health challenges during this period, which made the disconnection feel even more pronounced.
At 37, Jesse believes that he and his older brother Joey, 41, ought to be the ones in power within the organization. “Dr. Bass’ idea was that one day Joey and I would run basketball operations,” Jesse remarked, adding that Jeannie’s recent actions led to significant staff changes.
The Lakers have seen power struggles for years, a legacy dating back to conflicts between Pelinka and Magic Johnson in 2019, just before their last NBA championship victory. With Walter now at the helm, the Lakers, currently 11-4, traded Luka Doncic to bolster their roster alongside LeBron James and promising player Austin Reaves. This could position Los Angeles for a better future, but the internal drama undoubtedly casts a long shadow.
