The stunning $10 billion sale of the Los Angeles Lakers is still sending shockwaves through the NBA.
But new reporting suggests the behind-the-scenes payout was even more dramatic than anyone expected.
Brian Windhorst Reveals Massive Payout for Jeanie Buss and Family
According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, each Buss sibling received close to a billion dollars from the franchise’s sale to Mark Walter, a development that not only shifted family dynamics but may have directly influenced the final vote approving the deal.
Speaking on NBA on ESPN, Windhorst revealed that Joey and Jesse Buss had been firmly opposed to selling the team for years. Jeanie Buss, historically aligned with them, had kept the ownership deadlocked at 3–3.
But Windhorst reported that Jeanie eventually changed sides, in part because she received an agreement allowing her to remain governor going forward, and also because the siblings were each paid “a little under a billion dollars,” reportedly in the high-$900-million range, once the deal closed.
“Joey and Jesse as far as I know voted against the sale for years.” Windhorst said. “Jeanie Buss had been on their side and a three-three vote meant no sale. Jeanie moved to the other side I assume partially because she got this deal where she was able to remain the governor for years into the future and also because she got a great price.”
“Someone told me that each one of the Buss children after all the maneuverings and everything and the accounting each of the Buss children got a little under a billion dollars, like a high 900-million-dollar check a couple of weeks ago when Mark Walter bought the team.”
That sale became official on October 30, 2025, when the NBA Board of Governors unanimously approved the transfer of majority ownership to billionaire Mark Walter.
Walter already holds stakes in the Dodgers, Sparks and Chelsea, adding another marquee property to his global sports portfolio. The transaction carried a staggering valuation: roughly $10 billion, making it one of the biggest franchise sales in sports history.
Despite losing the majority share, Jeanie Buss remains governor of the Lakers and will continue running the basketball operations side — a condition Windhorst noted was crucial in securing her vote.
The Buss family’s control over the Lakers dates back to 1979, when Jerry Buss purchased the frnachise, alongside the Kings and The Forum for $67.5 million.
Under his leadership and later Jeanie’s, the Lakers became one of the most decorated franchises in global sports, winning 11 championships, including the 2000–2002 three-peat and the 2020 bubble title.
Joey and Jesse Buss Fired After Sale
Just weeks after the sale, the family drama grew even more public. Joey and Jesse Buss confirmed to ESPN that they were fired from the team on November 20 after two decades in the organization.
Both will retain their minority ownership stakes, but their longtime roles — Joey as alternate governor and VP of research and development, Jesse as assistant GM and director of scouting, have come to an abrupt end.
The brothers expressed disappointment in a statement:
“We are extremely honored to have been part of this organization for the last 20 seasons,” the brothers told ESPN in a statement. “Thank you to Laker Nation for embracing our family every step of the way. We wish things could be different with the way our time ended with the team. At times like this we wish we could ask our Dad what he would think about it all.”
The Lakers have additionally moved on from key scouting personnel, including Sean Buss (Joey and Jesse’s half-brother) and multiple longtime staffers, signaling a sweeping reset under the team’s new majority ownership.
