Relationship between LeBron James and Jeanie Buss deteriorated before Lakers sale: report

The Los Angeles Lakers look much different today than they did even a few months after the Buss family sold a majority stake in the franchise.

Jeanie Buss sold her interest to the current president and majority owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers in June after owning most of the franchise since 1979.

However, an extensive report from ESPN made it seem like the writing was on the wall amid tensions within the front office, as well as between Buss and LeBron James.

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ESPN reported that Buss was unhappy with speculation that James had chosen the Lakers during his free agency in 2018, rather than have the Lakers pursue and acquire him.

But more recently, Buss “complained privately” about “what she felt was James’ enormous ego and the overt control that he and Klutch Sports, which represents both James and Anthony Davis, exerted over the organization at times” while James and Davis were teammates.

However, one decision the Lakers made in 2024 that sparked controversy was the selection of James’ son, Bronny, in the NBA Draft. Despite struggles in his only year at USC, largely due to recovering from sudden cardiac arrest, the Lakers selected James with the 55th overall pick.

LeBron James and Bronny James of the Los Angeles Lakers on the court for the first time during the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena on October 22, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)

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There has been speculation that James had an influence on the selection, and reports from ESPN seemed to confirm it.

“And when the Lakers selected James’ son Bronny with the 55th pick in the 2024 draft, Jeanie privately commented that James should be grateful for such a gesture, but she felt he wasn’t,” ESPN reported. “That summer, while discussing a new contract for James, Jeanie seemed more resigned to the fact that they would have to do it, almost grudgingly accepting that they would take a huge PR hit if they didn’t.”

Representatives for James and Klutch did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Buss reportedly considered trading James to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2022.

When Jerry Buss died in 2013, the Lakers passed to his children and Jeanie has served as team governor ever since. She has continued to oversee day-to-day operations and reports indicate she will remain governor for five more years.

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James gestures during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday, March 2, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

The Lakers won 11 of his 17 championships under Buss ownership, and the last one in 2020. However, that is its only title since Jerry Buss died.