In order for the Los Angeles Lakers to be sold to Los Angeles Dodgers owner Mark Walter, there had to be a vote by the Buss siblings and a majority would have to vote yes in order to approve the sale. While they did get the majority vote needed, it was not unanimous as there were two dissenting votes.
At the time it was unknown which two siblings voted against the sale, but now with the news of Joey and Jesse Buss being fired from their front office positions, more news is beginning to leak out. Both Joey and Jesse were important pieces within the Lakers’ scouting department and, while they will still retain their minority shares in the franchise, they will no longer work within the organization.
Exactly what led to their dismissal is unclear, but according to Shams Charania of ESPN, it was Joey and Jesse who voted against the sale of the Lakers to Walter in that vote:
“Joey and Jesse Buss interestingly were the two siblings that voted against the $10 billion sale of the Lakers to Mark Walter.”
Of course, just because they were the two who voted against the sale it does not mean that this was the reason they were fired from their front office roles. It is very possible that Walter and Jeanie Buss simply felt that a shakeup was needed in the scouting department and there were four other employees let go as well. But the optics of this are sure to raise a few eyebrows.
Scouting has been a strength of the Lakers for the past few years with the team drafting very well for the most part with the likes of Ivica Zubac, Larry Nance Jr., Josh Hart, Jordan Clarkson and Max Christie all being great finds in the late-first or early-second round of the draft, not to mention undrafted finds like Austin Reaves and Alex Caruso.
Regardless, it is Walter’s Lakers now and the franchise under his leadership made the move they felt was necessary for the betterment of this organization.
Jesse Buss feels Lakers need a new vision under Mark Walter
There don’t seem to be any hard feelings towards Mark Walter from Jesse Buss as he spoke highly of the Lakers owner. In fact, Jesse feels the Lakers are in great hands under Walter and feels the franchise needs a new vision with him in charge now as he doesn’t believe they would see the success they are known for under the previous leadership.
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