Former Lakers Majority Owners Eyeing NBA Europe

Joey and Jesse Buss, the younger sons of the late Lakers owner Jerry Buss, are exploring new investment opportunities in professional sports. This comes after they were removed from their executive roles with the NBA team in 2025, when the family sold a 66 percent stake in the iconic Los Angeles franchise to Mark Walter for $10 billion.

According to The Athletic, the brothers, through their new venture Buss Sports Capital, have submitted multiple bids to acquire teams in the prospective NBA Europe league and have also expressed interest in a stake in Major League Baseball's (MLB) San Diego Padres.

While they no longer hold executive positions with the Lakers—Joey served as CEO and president of the G League's South Bay Lakers, and Jesse as director of scouting—both remain minority shareholders in the team. Their elder sister, Jeanie Buss, continues as the Lakers' governor, with the family retaining a 15 percent ownership stake in the club.

However, the brothers' primary focus appears to be NBA Europe, the new league being planned in partnership with FIBA, slated to launch in October 2027. Joey and Jesse Buss are actively pursuing franchise acquisitions in various markets, notably in England (London and Manchester) and France (Lyon).

The proposed model for NBA Europe envisions a 16-team competition, with 12 permanent slots and four teams qualifying annually. Target cities for permanent teams include Rome, Milan, London, Manchester, Paris, Lyon, Madrid, Barcelona, Munich, Berlin, Athens, and Istanbul. Some of these cities also host football clubs, as is the case with Spanish teams, though these have recently renewed their commitment to the EuroLeague, albeit with buyout clauses of only 10 million euros.

In this landscape, the Buss brothers could face competition from an investment group led by Donnie Nelson, former Dallas Mavericks executive, which includes Lakers star Luka Doncic. This group has acquired Vanoli Cremona, a team in Italy's top league, and plans to relocate the club to Rome with the aim of securing the city's spot in NBA Europe.

Several months ago, Joey and Jesse Buss were also identified as potential investors in ASVEL, the club owned by former French Spurs star Tony Parker.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver recently stated in Las Vegas that a decision on these proposals is expected in the coming weeks.

Beyond basketball, the Buss brothers are also considering an investment in baseball. Their entry into the San Diego Padres would be through a group led by José Feliciano and Kwanza Jones, who have reportedly already agreed to purchase the club for $3.9 billion. However, the sale still awaits final approval from MLB.