11/20/25 03:11:00
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11/20 15:09 CST Lakers fire Joey Buss, Jesse Buss from front office positions
after ownership change
Lakers fire Joey Buss, Jesse Buss from front office positions after ownership
change
By GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) --- Joey Buss and Jesse Buss are no longer working in the Los
Angeles Lakers' front office after the franchise's recent ownership change, a
person with knowledge of the move told The Associated Press on Thursday.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the Lakers didn't
publicly announce the firings of the two children of longtime Lakers owner
Jerry Buss, who died in 2013. The Lakers are also overhauling the scouting
staff that worked with the brothers.
The Buss brothers confirmed their departure in a statement issued to ESPN,
although both will retain their inherited minority ownership stakes under new
controlling owner Mark Walter.
Jesse Buss was an assistant general manager, while Joey Buss was the Lakers'
alternate governor and vice president of research and development.
"We are extremely honored to have been part of this organization for the last
20 seasons," Joey and Jesse Buss said in their statement. "Thank you to Laker
Nation for embracing our family every step of the way. We wish things could be
different with the way our time ended with the team. At times like this, we
wish we could ask our Dad what he would think about it all."
Jerry Buss had at least seven children, and six of them worked for the Lakers
at some point during his ownership.
Jeanie Buss became the Lakers' governor when their father died. Jim Buss was
the Lakers' executive vice president of basketball operations until Jeanie
ousted her brother in 2017, also firing general manager Mitch Kupchak and
turning over the basketball side of the business to Magic Johnson and current
general manager Rob Pelinka.
Walter finalized his purchase of a controlling stake in the Lakers three weeks
ago in a sale initially announced in June and conducted with a $10 billion
franchise valuation. Jeanie Buss will remain the Lakers' governor for the
foreseeable future, but the Lakers are now primarily owned by Walter, the
billionaire owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Joey and Jesse Buss have been involved in the Lakers' scouting and player
development operations for many years, and they've been praised for their roles
in the Lakers' successful drafts and free-agent signings.
Perhaps sensing the upcoming changes in the Lakers' leadership structure
following the decision to sell the team, the brothers launched an investment
firm in September dubbed Buss Sports Capital.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
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