Filing shows Jeanie Buss locked in five years as Lakers governor

Oct 14, 2026

A side deal surfaces

A California court filing shows Jeanie Buss signed a side agreement with Mark Walter on Oct. 30, 2025, to keep her in the Lakers' control seat.

Five years as governor

Walter had to take steps to keep her as director and controlling owner for five years, as long as she held at least a 15% stake.

The sibling fight

Her siblings want to sell the family trust's remaining 17.8% and expect about $2.2 billion. Jeanie opposes the sale.

A new controlling owner

Walter has since sold control to Joshua Kushner and Bob Iger at a $12.5 billion valuation.

The open question

Whether the side agreement carries over to the new owners is not clear from the public filing, and that is now part of the litigation.

Photo credit

Jeanie Buss in 2016. File photo: David McLane / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 4.0. Resized.

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