For 46 years, the Buss family held majority ownership of the Los Angeles Lakers. It changed last year with when they sold their controlling stake to Mark Walter, and on Monday reports emerged that they have completely exited their remaining minority. But the team’s governor, Jeanie Buss, has disputed those claims.

Jeanie Buss is the controlling owner of the shares that the Buss family are collectively owned through the trust. But currently she is outvoted 5-0, as the Buss siblings want to sell their share to a new ownership group of Bob Iger and Josh Kushner with a reported $12.5 billion valuation. This family drama could affect the league, and that’s why the Lakers analyst called it a “test” for commissioner Adam Silver.

“I think this could be a test for Adam Silver,” said Andy Kamenetzky on the Locked on Lakers podcast. “Like his willingness to twist arms and make things, you know, uncomfortable for everyone, including himself, because Adam Silver, confrontation is not his wheelhouse. Jeanie is a very likable person. It’s easy to understand.

“But if Adam Silver has to choose between siding with the incoming majority owners of the Tiffany franchise of the league, one of which Bob Iger is a personal friend of his…because the current majority owner is under federal investigation, apparently has to liquidate everything he owns in order to get out of this, or the one member of a minority owner contingency, where the other five want to get out, I can, again, promise you, I know which side he would prefer.”

Kamenetzky would use former commissioner David Stern’s personality as an example. Stating even if it had some faults, “but one of them did not include a willingness to be confronted.”

The message, as described by the analyst, would be simple: The NBA respects what the Buss family has done for the Lakers, but the league will not allow an ownership dispute to threaten the franchise or the league’s interests. Kamenetzky is suggesting that Stern would use the family’s reputation and history with the Lakers as leverage.

“I guarantee, David Stern would say something effective, I will turn this whole league against you. Like we will make you an outcast and your legacy, your family’s legacy is going to be tarnished. And there’s no reason it has to be this way. But if you force us into it, we will.”

So far, Adam Silver has not commented on the Buss family drama happening with the Lakers. But it could become a critical issue. The former owner, Mark Walter remains under federal scrutiny, which is allegdly the reason why the sale to Bob Iger and Kushner happened within 72 hours.

The longer the Buss family drama lingers, the difficult it gets for Iger and Kushner to seal the deal. So, Silver’s position is not easy in this, as he is close friends with both Jeanie Buss and Iger. But if it drags on, he could be forced to make a stern decision.