Jeanie Buss isn’t losing the Los Angeles Lakers without a fight.
The Lakers governor is contesting the reported sale of her family’s remaining 17.8% ownership stake in the iconic NBA franchise to new majority owners Josh Kushner and Bob Iger.
Jeanie’s lawyer, Adam Streisand, slammed the report and said his client hasn’t agreed to sell the team, adding that any vote suggesting otherwise “would be and is void,” according to a letter obtained by CNBC’s Alex Sherman. The letter is addressed to law firms representing Jeanie’s siblings.
“This afternoon, Shams Charania of ESPN falsely reported that the six Buss siblings voted to sell the 17.8% ownership stake in the Lakers to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger, and that my client, Jeanie Buss, is ‘out’ as controlling owner,” Streisand wrote.
“This is just the latest instance of a years-long pattern whereby Joey and Jesse Buss leak false, defamatory, and pernicious ‘information’ to Mr. Charania for the malicious purpose of doing harm to the Los Angeles Lakers so long as Dr. Buss’ chosen successor, Jeanie Buss, carries out her father’s wishes.”
Charania reported Monday that the Buss family trust – comprised of siblings Jeanie, Jim, Johnny, Janie, Joey, and Jesse – reportedly received the majority of votes needed to allow the trustees to sell their shares to Kushner and Iger.
However, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne later reported that Jeanie was the lone member of the Buss family who did not vote to sell. If the transaction is completed, she would no longer have the 15% ownership stake required to serve as team governor.
Streisand also demanded that Jeanie’s siblings “publicly” state that she remains the controlling owner of the Lakers, according to Sherman.
Kushner and Iger recently bought Mark Walter’s majority stake in the Lakers for a reported $12.5 billion last week.
