Los Angeles Lakers Fire Executives Joey and Jesse Buss Amid Front Office Shakeup

Los Angeles, CA — The Los Angeles Lakers announced the firing of Joey and Jesse Buss from their executive positions on Thursday as part of a significant restructuring of their basketball operations department.

The Buss brothers have held pivotal roles in the Lakers’ front office for the past two decades. Joey served as the vice president of research and development, while Jesse was the assistant general manager. Their departures come just weeks after the family sold the majority ownership of the Lakers to Mark Walter for a reported $10 billion, a move confirmed by the NBA.

A spokesperson for the Lakers confirmed the exit of the Buss brothers but did not provide any additional comments. Sources say the team has also let go of several members of their scouting department, including Sean Buss, Aaron Jackson, Moses Zapata, and Can Pelister.

In a joint statement, Joey and Jesse Buss expressed their gratitude for being part of the organization. “We are extremely honored to have been part of this organization for the last 20 seasons,” they said. “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.”

Jesse Buss also reflected on their father Jerry Buss’s vision for the family’s role in the team, saying, “Dr. Buss’ idea was for Joey and I to run basketball operations one day. But Jeanie has effectively kept herself in place with her siblings fired.” Jeanie Buss, their older sister, will retain her position as the team governor going forward.

The brothers have been credited with identifying key talent during their tenure, and their departure marks a pivotal moment as the team transitions to new leadership under Walter. The Buss family, despite the sale, maintains a 19% ownership stake in the Lakers.

Jerry Buss, who purchased the Lakers in 1979 for $67.5 million, transformed the team into a globally recognized franchise until his death in 2013.