The Los Angeles Lakers’ ownership situation continues to grow more complicated, and NBA commissioner Adam Silver may now attempt to help bring some stability to the organization.
According to Tom Friend of Sports Business Journal, sources believe Silver will try to help smooth things over between Jeanie Buss and the rest of the Buss family as the franchise’s ownership transition remains unresolved. The dispute comes after reports that the Buss family agreed to sell its remaining stake in the Lakers to Bob Iger and Josh Kushner, a move Jeanie has publicly pushed back against.
“The Lakers’ situation isn’t as clear cut, with sources believing Commissioner Adam Silver, who has always been close with Jeanie Buss, will try to help smooth over the Buss family chaos,”
Silver Has a Longstanding Relationship With Jeanie Buss
Silver’s relationship with Buss could make him a natural intermediary as the situation becomes increasingly contentious.
Jeanie has worked closely with Adam Silver throughout her time as Lakers governor and has remained one of the league’s most recognizable ownership figures. That familiarity could give Silver an opportunity to speak directly with her and potentially find some common ground between the sides.
However, Silver also has a strong relationship with Iger, who is attempting to purchase the Buss family’s remaining ownership stake alongside Kushner. That puts the commissioner in a delicate position if he does attempt to mediate the dispute.
There is also no indication yet that Silver has formally intervened or that he possesses the ability to force either side toward a resolution. Friend’s report only indicates that sources believe Silver will try to help calm the situation.
Ownership Transition
The uncertainty began after Mark Walter agreed to sell his controlling stake in the Lakers to Iger and Kushner. The situation became significantly more complicated when reports emerged that the Buss family had also voted to sell its remaining shares.
Such a sale would effectively end the family’s ownership connection to the franchise and could remove Jeanie from her position as Lakers governor.
Jeanie has disputed the validity of that process and has made it clear she does not consider the matter settled. Her opposition has turned what initially appeared to be a straightforward ownership transition into a potentially lengthy dispute involving family trusts, voting procedures and control of one of the NBA’s most valuable franchises.
That is where Silver’s involvement could become important.
The NBA will eventually have to approve any ownership transition, giving the league office a significant interest in seeing the situation resolved cleanly. A prolonged dispute involving the Lakers would create uncertainty around the franchise at a time when the organization is attempting to move forward under a new ownership structure.
Silver Could Become the Mediator
Whether Adam Silver can actually bring the sides together remains unclear.
The tensions within the Buss family have existed for years, and the latest disagreement appears to involve significantly more than a simple misunderstanding. Billions of dollars, control of the Lakers, and Jeanie’s future role with the organization are all potentially at stake.
Still, Silver’s expected involvement shows that the situation has reached a point where the league may no longer be comfortable simply watching from the sidelines.
With the new NBA season approaching, the Lakers would undoubtedly prefer clarity at the top of the organization. Silver may now be tasked with helping them find it.
