On Nov. 20, finance chief Joe McCormack texted Jesse Buss that organizational changes were imminent. Within minutes, brother Joey received the same notice and both were terminated alongside siblings Jim and Johnny, and sister Janie, who begged to resign. The dismissals arrived just weeks after the Los Angeles Lakers completed a $10 billion sale to Mark Walter.

Family insiders say the firings marked the final act of a decade‑long power struggle that began after Jerry Buss died in 2013. Sibling rivalries, secret alliances and disputed trust provisions eroded the unity his father built when he bought the franchise in 1979, turning a once‑tight empire into a fractured boardroom.

With Mark Walter now at the helm, the Lakers face a new governance model that could reshape roster decisions and arena plans. Fans watch anxiously as the franchise, still riding a strong 11‑4 start, navigates the transition. Analysts expect the ownership shift to influence free‑agency strategy and long‑term brand positioning.