Lakers Begin Front-Office Reset as Joey and Jesse Buss Fired

The Los Angeles Lakers have begun their first major overhaul under new majority owner Mark Walter, parting ways with longtime executives Joey and Jesse Buss and multiple members of the scouting department.

The decision, confirmed Thursday, signals a dramatic shift inside a franchise that has been run by the Buss family for more than four decades.

A person familiar with the shake-up told the Los Angeles Times that everything with the Lakers is being evaluated, including scouting jobs that were terminated the same morning. Another person with knowledge of the move said beginning the restructuring now was the best course of action, rather than wait.

Joey and Jesse Buss said in a joint statement to ESPN, We are extremely honored to have been part of this organization for the last 20 seasons. Thank you Laker Nation for embracing our family every step of the way. We wish things could be different with the way our time ended with the team. At times like this, we wish we could ask our Dad what he would think of it all.

Their father, Dr. Jerry Buss, transformed the Lakers into a global powerhouse after purchasing the team in 1979.

Joey most recently served as vice president of research and development and president of the South Bay Lakers, while Jesse held the role of assistant general manager and director of scouting. Both remain minority owners alongside their siblings.

The Buss brothers were widely credited with helping discover and develop homegrown contributors such as Austin Reaves, Kyle Kuzma, Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr. and Max Christie.