Los Angeles Lakers

Jeanie Buss reportedly forces Jim Buss to resign as Lakers co-trustee

Published Mar. 27, 2017 1:22 p.m. ET

Nunzio Ingrassia

The family squabble over who controls the Los Angeles Lakers appears to be settled. According to the Los Angeles Times, Jim Buss has resigned as co-trustee of the Lakers and the family has agreed to make Jeanie Buss the controlling owner and secured her place on the team’s board of directors as long as the family owns the franchise.

“The message is clear here: Do not underestimate Jeanie Buss,” her attorney, Adam Streisand, told the Times. “There is not going to be a palace coup. Not now. Not ever.”

According to the report, Jeanie Buss required that her brother Jim resign, which he did Thursday, as part of the resolution. Jeanie’s younger sister, Janie, replaced Jim as a co-trustee. Johnny Buss, who along with Jim called an annual shareholders meeting last month in an attempt to remove Jeanie from the board, remains as a co-trustee.

If Jim had not agreed to his removal, attorneys for Jeanie reportedly were prepared to ask the court to force him out as co-trustee. Last month, Jeanie fired Jim as the head of basketball operations and Mitch Kupchak as general manager.