Why the Lakers Fired Joey and Jesse Buss

The Los Angeles Lakers sent a shock through the league on November 20, 2025, when they fired Joey and Jesse Buss from their front office positions. The move followed weeks of rumors after the team shifted to new majority ownership under Dodgers owner Mark Walter. For a franchise built on family ties, the decision hit like a storm.

The timing surprised many fans who still saw the Buss name as part of the Lakers’ identity. The brothers were not fringe figures. They played fundamental roles in shaping the roster over the past two decades. Their exit confirmed that this was not a light reshuffle. It was a full reset.

Long Tenure Ends in Sudden Fashion

Lakers / IG / Joey Buss had been the Vice President of Research and Development. He also served as an alternate governor, a position that kept him closely involved in long-term basketball strategy.

His work on analytics and evaluation shaped how the Lakers built their roster in recent years.

Jesse Buss carried one of the strongest scouting reputations in the league. As Assistant General Manager and director of scouting, he led the search for young talent. He earned credit for spotting Austin Reaves, Kyle Kuzma, Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr., and Max Christie before they became impact players.

Their removal closed a 20-year chapter inside the Lakers’ front office. Few people had more influence on roster construction during that stretch. Several members of the scouting staff were also dismissed, leaving a major hole in one of the franchise’s key departments.

The brothers released a joint statement that conveyed gratitude and emotion. They thanked Laker fans and called the past two decades an honor. The duo also hinted at family tension, saying they wished they could ask their late father what he would think about the way things ended.

A Public Rift Inside the Buss Family

Soon after the statement, Jesse Buss gave a candid interview to The Athletic. He said he had not spoken to Jeanie Buss or Rob Pelinka for five months. He described feeling isolated and treated like an outsider. His words showed a front office that had already fractured.

He revealed that this break in communication happened while he was battling health issues and receiving immunotherapy. He said leadership offered little support during that time. His comments did not sound like simple workplace frustration. They sounded personal and painful.

Jesse also said his father always pictured him and Joey running basketball operations one day. He claimed the current direction pushed far away from that vision. His remarks tied the move to long-running family struggles, not just basketball decisions.

Back in 2017, Jeanie Buss removed their brother Jim Buss from his role in basketball operations. Jesse said the pattern had continued for years, adding that Jeanie had pushed out every sibling involved in the team.

A New Owner Brings a New Blueprint

Lakers / IG / The firings came shortly after the NBA approved Mark Walter’s purchase of a controlling stake in the Lakers.

The price reached close to $10 billion, one of the biggest sales in sports history. The shift moved real power away from the Buss family for the first time in decades.

Jeanie Buss negotiated to stay on as operating governor. She still holds a leadership title, but the majority stake now sits with Walter. Many insiders expected major changes once the sale closed. The quick exit of Joey and Jesse proved those predictions true.

Another twist came from Walter bringing in two Dodgers executives, Farhan Zaidi and Andrew Friedman, as advisors. They joined the Lakers as senior voices during the transition. Their track record with the Dodgers mixed analytics, smart spending, and long-term planning.

Even though they lost their positions, Joey and Jesse Buss still hold minority ownership stakes. They remain part of the team in a financial sense. Their influence on basketball operations, however, is gone. The shift marks a new era where family ties no longer guide the front office.