Jeanie Buss and the Los Angeles Lakers‘ organization made a significant move by parting ways with part-owners, Joey and Jesse Buss, on Thursday. While the two brothers released an emotional statement following their exit, Jesse went on to address his dismissal in an interview with The Athletic’s Joe McCormack.
While speaking with McCormack, Jesse Buss mentioned that he felt like being fired was inevitable after the team was sold to Mark Walter. He addressed that he was dealing with some health issues when he started feeling like his time was up.
“I kind of noticed around the same time that things were different within our organization, within the front office, and just the basketball operations department,” he said. “I kind of felt siloed quite a bit, dating back to before, I guess, the 2023 draft. And I kind of didn’t think much of it.”
“But as time went on and there was a lack of communication between not only my sister and I, but the organization as a whole, while I was combating various health issues, I kind of felt like the writing was on the wall. The sale of the team happening kind of more or less just solidified it in my mind. And I just more or less expected it.”
Buss emphasized that his health issues had limited the role he could play in the organization’s functioning. Regardless, he remained a loyal supporter of the franchise and of the decisions made for the team’s benefit.
When asked whether he had spoken to his sister, Jeanie Buss, and Lakers GM Rob Pelinka since his dismissal, he claimed that he hadn’t spoken to either in over five months.
“Yeah. Jeanie informed me that there would be a vote on the sale of the team,” he responded when asked for the reason behind this lack of communication. “And with Rob, he just informed me of who we would be drafting, which is pretty consistent with how it’s gone in the last couple of years.”
This paints a fairly clear picture of the kind of relationship the siblings share. Although Jeanie Buss was spearheading the sale of the Lakers franchise, it was reported that both Joey and Jesse voted “NO” at the time of the decision. With Mark Walter eventually taking over after a record-breaking $10 billion sale, it truly was only a matter of time before the two brothers would part ways with the organization.
While firing two part-owners seems to be the first major move made by new ownership, it is worth noting that Jeanie Buss retains some control as the Lakers’ governor at this stage. While there have also been suggestions to dismiss Rob Pelinka to help Los Angeles win a title, it appears that this decision would hinge on the team’s performance this season.
