The Los Angeles Lakers may have just lost something far more significant than any player: the Buss family era. For decades, the idea of the Lakers belonging to anyone besides the Buss family was unthinkable. Now, after ownership has changed hands twice in just 14 months, that impossible reality has arrived. And the biggest Lakers story right now is no longer the roster, it’s the future of the franchise’s identity.
The basketball side of this story already had plenty of debate. The acquisition of Walker Kessler, is widely viewed as a strong fit, giving Luka Dončić the size the team desperately needed. Luka has previously proven what he can accomplish with the right pieces around him, and Austin Reaves provides another legitimate offensive weapon. There is reasonable evidence to believe Luka and Reaves can generate a significant number of wins together.
But that may be the least shocking part, because while fans were debating the roster, a much larger earthquake was happening behind the scenes: the franchise has entered an entirely new ownership era, and there is now uncertainty about whether the Buss family’s remaining ownership connection to the team survives at all. For former Lakers players, this isn’t really about basketball anymore. During a discussion among three former Lakers, the reaction was consistent: none of them ever imagined the Buss family would give up the team. The initial shock of the first sale to the Walters Groupfor a reported $10 billionleft them stunned.
Their second thought, however, was understanding, given the staggering price. But the deeper sentiment remained: you just never fathom the fact that the Buss family would not own the Lakers. One former player said ownership matters to him deeply, because he still works with the team and can feel the difference in the media, the aura around the buildings, and the organization itself. Another noted that while players who are no longer around the organization may not care as much, when you play for the Lakers under the Buss family umbrella, you simply never imagined it being owned by somebody else.
A third said it matters, but acknowledged that players have no say in the matter. The shared hope is that new owners will put their arms around the organization, treat it like a family, love the players, and preserve the winning culturethat was embedded in the team. Former players emphasized that the Buss family continued to bring former players back for events,keeping alumni connected to the organizationnow, with new ownership, those events feel differentand sometimes awkward, as former players don’t know the new peopleinvolved. The hope is that the new group will embody what the Buss family built and continue to trickle that down to the alumni and people who remain part of the Lakers community
Reflecting on the franchise’s original culture, former Lakers head coach and player Byron Scott described what Dr.
Jerry Buss created. Buss made players feel a sense of pride in wearing purple and gold, making it mean something different than being in any other organization. He treated it as a family organization, not a money maker or a hobby. He trusted basketball people to do their jobs, hiring Jerry West as general managerand allowing him to make decisions without interference.
He treated every player the same, superstars and role players alike, often coming into the locker room to talk toeverybody. Former players remembered him as one of the most humble owners they had ever met
Jerry Buss also connected the Lakers deeply to Los Angeles itself. The team gave the city joy and something to cheer for, becoming a big part of Los Angeles’s identity. Beyond California, the Lakers became a national phenomenon, with fans from across the country, as one former player’s New York-based grandmother exemplified.
The franchise built an iconic presence that transcended basketball, spanning Hollywood, pop culture, and generations of fans. That culturally built foundation was something they believed should be remembered in a great fashion, given how much the franchise has given to the game and to the world
Now, the central question facingthe franchise is no longer whether the new owners can afford the Lakers, as they clearly can the question is whether they understand what they have inherited. The Buss family created more than a business, they created a family atmosphere, where former players remained welcomed, alumni stayed connected, and players felt part of something bigger than a contract. Nobody wants the Lakers to become just another corporation.
The former players want owners who actually show up, care about winning, put their arms around the organization, and understand what the purple and gold actually mean. After two ownership changes in just 14 months, the Lakers may have gained new billions, but the legacy the Buss family spent decades building now depends on whether the new owners can preserve, not just purchase, the soul of the Lakers
