Explosive Insider Report Links Jeanie Buss' Decisions to Mark Walter After Lakers Fire Joey and Jesse Buss

NBA: OCT 26 Kings at Lakers - Source: Getty
Explosive Insider Report Links Jeanie Buss' Decisions to Mark Walter After Lakers Fire Joey and Jesse Buss. [photo: Getty]

NBA insider Shams Charania reported on Thursday that the LA Lakers had fired Joey and Jesse Buss, younger siblings of team governor Jeanie Buss. According to ESPN, the dismissed brothers were removed from their front office roles but remained minority owners. Joey was previously the alternate governor and vice president of research and development, while Jesse served as assistant general manager.

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Ramona Shelburne, another NBA insider, added a layer to the stunning news (via The Lakers Review):

“Nothing Jeanie does is without consultation of Mark Walter.”
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When the NBA approved the sale of the LA Lakers last month, majority owner Mark Walter kept Jeanie Buss as the governor. He said in a press release that she would “continue to oversee day-to-day operations for the foreseeable future.”

Shelburne’s report indicated that it was Jeanie who fired Joey and Jesse, a move that Walter greenlighted. Although shocking, Shams Charania explained on Thursday why the dismissals were not surprising to insiders. Joey and Jesse were reportedly against the majority sale of the Lakers to Walter.

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Joey and Jesse Buss spent years helping the Lakers' scouting department, which took the brunt of the organizational changes. The Buss brothers reportedly had key roles in bringing in talents like Austin Reaves, Alex Caruso, Julius Randle, Lonzo Ball and Max Christie.


Jeanie Buss once fired her elder brother, Jim Buss

The Buss family drama is a staple in the LA Lakers. During the 2012-13 season, the Lakers opened the season with Mike Brown, who the team fired, allowing Bernie Bickerstaff to take over as interim coach. Jeanie Buss wanted Phil Jackson to return, but Jim Buss hired Mike D’Antoni.

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The Lakers reached the playoffs but lost in four games to the San Antonio Spurs in the first round. Jeanie was reportedly furious about how that season ended.

LA failed to make the playoffs in 2014 with D’Antoni, prompting another firing. Byron Scott took over without any postseason appearances before the Laker legend was sent packing.

To start the 2016-17 season, Jeanie Buss signed Luke Walton to lead the Lakers. Heading into the February trade deadline, the governor fired GM Mitch Kupchak and her brother Jim Buss, the vice president of basketball operations.

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Jeanie opened up in a 2021 interview with the “Boardroom” about the reason she axed Jim:

“I think my brother wanted to do things his way as opposed to just doing them the way he was taught by my dad.”

Roughly four years after the Jim firing, Jeanie Buss has done the same to Joey and Jesse.

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Edited by Michael Macasero
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