NBA Rumors: Jeanie Buss Will Remain Lakers Governor ‘For At Least The Next Five Seasons’

Jeanie Buss will remain the governor of the Los Angeles Lakers “for at least the next five seasons,” according to NBA insider Sam Amick of The Athletic. 

The Buss family sold the Lakers to Mark Walter for $10 billion, but Jeanie is still the boss for the purple and gold. 

“Per a team source, Buss’ agreement with Walter and the NBA stipulates that she’ll remain the team’s governor for at least the next five seasons,” Amick wrote. 

Dr. Jerry Buss bought the Lakers from Jack Kent Cooke in 1979 for $67.5 million. Los Angeles has won 17 championships in franchise history. Only the Boston Celtics (18) have won more. 

The Lakers are currently led by head coach JJ Redick and All-Stars Luka Doncic and LeBron James. Los Angeles won the 2020 championship against the Miami Heat at the Walt Disney World bubble behind James and Anthony Davis. 

James signed with the Lakers in the summer of 2018 as an unrestricted free agent. The LeBron era in LA has been filled with ups and downs. 

Los Angeles missed the playoffs in 2019, won the championship in 2020, lost in the first round of the 2021 playoffs, missed the playoffs in 2022, lost in the conference finals in 2023 and lost in the first round of the 2024 and 2025 playoffs.

According to NBA insider Jovan Buha, James’ relationship with the Lakers’ front office is not “in the best place right now.”

James, 40, picked up his 2025-26 player option with the Lakers, who have not announced that yet. 

“I wanna be careful with what I say about like Bron’s relationship with the front office or the organization, but I don’t think it’s in like the best place right now to be completely honest,” Buha said. “There’s been no official statement about LeBron opting in. There typically is, especially for a player of that magnitude.

“And then he’s had his stuff on social media or whatever he’s posted and there was obviously the statement when he opted in. So I don’t think things are in the best place they’ve ever been. I’ll just say that.”