When you think about the Los Angeles Lakers owner, the image that probably pops into your head is Jeanie Buss sitting courtside at Crypto.com Arena, looking composed while the purple and gold drama unfolds on the hardwood. It’s a job that looks glamorous from the outside. In reality, it’s a high-stakes balancing act involving family dynamics, massive financial pressure, and a fan base that views anything less than a Larry O'Brien trophy as a total failure.
Succession isn't just a hit show on HBO. For the Lakers, it was a literal, messy reality that played out in the public eye after the legendary Dr. Jerry Buss passed away in 2013. He didn't just leave behind a basketball team; he left a complicated trust that split ownership among his six children. But Jeanie was the one he tapped to lead. She’s the Governor. She's the boss. Honestly, the way she took full control in 2017—ousting her own brother Jim Buss and longtime GM Mitch Kupchak—was one of the gutsiest power moves in modern sports history.
People often get confused about how the ownership actually works. The Lakers aren't owned by a single billionaire who made their money in tech or oil. It’s a family business, which is increasingly rare in the NBA. While the Buss Family Trusts owns 66% of the team, Jeanie is the face and the final word.
The Power Struggle That Redefined the Franchise
The transition from Dr. Buss to his children wasn't exactly seamless. For a few years there, the Lakers felt like a ship without a rudder. Jim Buss was running basketball operations, and let's just say the results were... lackluster. The "Kobe's twilight" years were tough to watch. There was a self-imposed timeline where Jim promised the team would be contending for a title, and when that didn't happen, Jeanie had to make a choice.
Family dinner must have been awkward.
In early 2017, Jeanie executed a front-office coup. She brought in Magic Johnson as President of Basketball Operations and Rob Pelinka as GM. This wasn't just about basketball; it was about asserting her legal right as the controlling owner. Her brothers, Jim and Johnny, tried to hold a board meeting to oust her. She didn't blink. She went to court, secured her position, and proved that she wasn't just "the daughter" in the room. She was the Los Angeles Lakers owner who mattered.
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This move changed everything. It signaled to the rest of the league that the Lakers were no longer a soap opera—or at least, they were a soap opera with a clear lead protagonist. It paved the way for the LeBron James signing in 2018. LeBron doesn't go to a team where the ownership is in a civil war. He goes to a legacy brand with a strong, singular leader.
Beyond the Buss Family: The Minority Stakeholders
While the Buss family is the heart of the organization, they aren't the only ones at the table. To understand the Los Angeles Lakers owner structure, you have to look at the silent partners who provide the financial backbone and strategic influence.
- AEG (Anschutz Entertainment Group): They own the arena and a chunk of the team. Their relationship with the Lakers is symbiotic.
- Patrick Soon-Shiong: The biotech billionaire and owner of the Los Angeles Times bought Magic Johnson's small stake years ago. He’s often seen near the bench, a quiet but incredibly powerful figure in the L.A. business world.
- Mark Walter and Todd Boehly: These names might sound familiar if you follow the Dodgers or Chelsea FC. In 2021, they bought the 27% stake previously held by Philip Anschutz.
Having the Dodgers' ownership group involved is a massive deal. It links the two most iconic brands in Southern California sports. It provides a level of financial stability and "big market" synergy that most teams can only dream of. But make no mistake, even with these titans in the mix, the NBA requires one person to be the "Governor." That’s Jeanie. She represents the Lakers at the Board of Governors meetings where the league’s biggest decisions—like TV deals and expansion—are made.
Why the "Mom and Pop" Vibe Still Exists
The Lakers are currently valued at something north of $6 billion. Yet, they still operate with a relatively small inner circle compared to teams like the Warriors or the Clippers. Linda Rambis, a longtime friend of Jeanie, is often cited as a major influence. Kurt Rambis is in the mix. Phil Jackson’s name still floats around in an advisory capacity.
Critics hate this. They call it "nepotism" or "living in the past."
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But if you look at it from Jeanie’s perspective, the Lakers are a legacy. Her father believed that the Lakers were more than a business; they were a community. When she sticks by "Lakers royalty," she’s trying to preserve the culture Dr. Buss built. Whether that culture still works in the era of advanced analytics and "light years ahead" ownership groups is the $6 billion question.
The 2020 championship in the Orlando Bubble was her validation. It was the 17th title for the franchise and the first under her direct leadership. It proved that her method—building around superstars and trusting her instincts—could still reach the mountaintop.
The Financial Reality of Modern Ownership
Being the Los Angeles Lakers owner isn't just about handing out rings. It's about navigating the most punitive Luxury Tax system in sports history. The new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) is a beast. It’s designed to stop teams from spending their way to titles.
The "second apron" is the new bogeyman for NBA owners. If the Lakers spend too much, they don't just pay a fine; they lose the ability to trade draft picks or sign certain free agents. For a team that relies on the "Stars and Scrubs" model—paying massive salaries to two or three superstars and filling the rest with minimum contracts—this is a nightmare.
Jeanie has been vocal about her willingness to spend, but she’s also a businesswoman. The Lakers don't have a "tech founder" bank account where money is infinite. Their revenue comes from the team itself, their massive local TV deal with Spectrum SportsNet, and their global brand. Every dollar spent on the luxury tax is a dollar that doesn't go into the family trust. That’s a pressure Steve Ballmer (Clippers owner) simply doesn't have to deal with.
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Common Misconceptions About Jeanie Buss
- She’s just a figurehead: Completely false. She makes the final call on coaching hires and major trades.
- The team is for sale: People have been saying this since 2013. There is zero evidence. Jeanie has stated repeatedly she will never sell.
- She doesn't know basketball: She grew up in the halls of the Forum. She’s seen every era of modern basketball up close. She might not be a scout, but she understands the "Laker Way" better than anyone on the planet.
What's Next for the Lakers Front Office?
The future of the Los Angeles Lakers owner legacy rests on how the team adapts to a post-LeBron world. We are approaching the end of an era. When LeBron James eventually retires, the Buss family faces their biggest challenge since 2013. Can they attract the next megastar? Can they navigate the salary cap restrictions of the new CBA?
The Lakers are currently leaning heavily into the development of young talent while trying to remain competitive—a "two-timeline" approach that is notoriously difficult to pull off.
If you're looking to understand the pulse of this franchise, don't just watch the box scores. Watch how the ownership reacts to adversity. Jeanie Buss has shown she’s willing to fire people she loves if it means saving the team’s dignity. She’s also shown she will stand by her players through thick and thin.
Practical Steps for Fans and Analysts to Track Ownership Influence:
- Monitor the Luxury Tax: Watch how far into the "aprons" the Lakers are willing to go. This is the truest measure of an owner's commitment to winning versus profit.
- Watch the "Inner Circle": Pay attention to who is sitting in the owner's box. The presence of certain advisors often signals upcoming shifts in team philosophy.
- The TV Deal Factor: The current local TV landscape is crumbling. How the Lakers navigate their next media rights deal will determine their financial firepower for the next decade.
- Succession Planning: While Jeanie is firmly in charge, keep an eye on the next generation of the Buss family (the nephews and nieces) who are starting to take roles within the organization.
The Los Angeles Lakers owner role is more than a title; it's a stewardship of a civic institution. Jeanie Buss isn't just running a basketball team; she's guarding a gold-standard legacy in a world that’s constantly trying to devalue it. Whether you love her moves or hate them, you can't deny that she has kept the Lakers at the center of the basketball universe. And in L.A., that's really the only thing that matters.