A new internal shock hits the Lakers and their project built around Luka Doncic. The calm the team recovered after recent tensions with LeBron James did not last long. This time, the conflict comes not from the court but from the front office.
According to reports from ESPN and The Athletic, the franchise’s new owners decided to fire Joey and Jesse Buss, two essential figures within the organization. The move adds more pressure to a locker room already dealing with constant changes and controversial decisions.
According to Mundo Deportivo, Mark Walter, the new owner and a well-known leader in American sports, chose to remove two historic pillars of the Buss legacy. Joey Buss was dismissed from his role as alternate governor and vice president of research and development. Jesse Buss lost his position as assistant general manager. Both had been part of the core that defined Lakers culture for decades. In fact, the only remaining figure from the family is Jeanie Buss, the controlling governor and institutional face of the team since the death of Jerry Buss.
A family conflict in the NBA?
Tension escalated when Jesse Buss pointed directly at his sister. His response was sharp and sparked immediate debate. “She has fired everyone,” Jesse told The Athletic. His words reopened old wounds within the family. They even echoed the 2017 conflict, when Jeanie removed Jim Buss from his position as president of basketball operations to hand control to Magic Johnson. That dispute created an internal divide that still lingers.
Bombazo total de @ShamsCharania: “Lakers están reorganizando su departamento de operaciones de baloncesto y despidiendo a los ejecutivos Joey y Jesse Buss de sus respectivos puestos en la directiva, con efecto inmediato.”
Comunicado de los hermanos Buss a ESPN:
“Nos sentimos… pic.twitter.com/3fWdwU0DZ0— NLB (@NBALAKERSBLOG) November 20, 2025
Joey and Jesse Buss released a joint statement that deepened the controversy. They said they felt honored to work for the franchise for 20 seasons. They also regretted how their tenure ended: “We wish things had been different with the way our time with the team ended. In times like this, we wish we could ask our father what he would think about all this,” they told ESPN. Jesse even added a striking detail. He revealed that their father envisioned a future with him and Joey running basketball operations.
The brothers will remain tied to the franchise because they still hold shares. However, the message is clear. The new administration wants to reshape the institutional model. The Buss family loses power while Jeanie stands as the last active heir. All this unfolds as Luka Doncic tries to lead a project that continues to experience upheaval.
