The $10 billion sale of the Los Angeles Lakers sent shockwaves through the sports world—not just for its price tag, but for the quiet family drama it exposed. For nearly five decades, the Buss family had been synonymous with the Lakers. But behind the glitter of the deal was a story of power struggles, bruised egos, and a looming financial threat that only one person seemed to see coming.

Jeanie Buss, team president and daughter of the late Dr. Jerry Buss, spearheaded the sale to Dodgers owner Mark Walter. On paper, it was a masterstroke—selling at a historic high. But according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, the deal wasn’t unanimously embraced.

He reported: “The Los Angeles Lakers intended $10 billion sale to Mark Walter was approved by the Buss siblings through a majority vote, a source familiar with the situation told ESPN.” This means, at least two of Jerry Buss’s children were not in favor. But why would anyone be unhappy with a $10 billion payday? It’s not about the money. It’s about control.

Ever since Jerry Buss passed in 2013, Jeanie has been at the helm of the Lakers—a position her older brothers, Jim and Johnny, resented. Tensions escalated in 2017 when Jeanie had to go to court to block an attempt by Jim and Johnny to unseat her as the controlling owner. That legal fight exposed how deep the family rift had become—and how far her brothers were willing to go to reclaim power.

The roots of the conflict go even deeper.

The Buss family trust, according to reports, was structured as a “last man standing” arrangement—meaning each sibling’s share would eventually be inherited by the surviving siblings. Over time, this system disproportionately favored the younger siblings, Joey and Jesse, while leaving older siblings like Jim and Johnny with shrinking leverage and limited long-term security. For them, agreeing to sell now wasn’t just about exiting the business—it was about ensuring their own children received a guaranteed legacy, instead of being edged out by the trust’s design.

But the decision to sell may have been about more than just ending a long-standing feud. As Brian Windhorst recently explained on a podcast, the real threat looming over the Buss family was financial. “For the Lakers, that local television deal is why the Buss family could exist and why they could operate the team,” he said. The Lakers’ massive deal with Spectrum had long insulated the family, allowing them to stay competitive despite not having deep-pocketed ownership like other franchises.

But Windhorst warned the model is crumbling. “As the RSNs have all fallen off… at some point, paying an exorbitant number even for Laker games, that’s gonna run out,” he noted. “Whenever that runs out, the Lakers are not gonna be in a position to keep up with everybody else.”

In other words, Jeanie Buss may have seen the collapse before it hit—and acted just in time. But while the deal makes perfect sense from a business and family perspective, it still begs the question: what does the most iconic Laker of all time think about it?

Magic Johnson gives his blessing to “sister” Jeanie Buss from atop his yacht

While the NBA world was processing the news, the one man whose opinion arguably matters most to Lakers fans was halfway around the world, enjoying his annual yacht vacation. But Magic Johnson wasn’t silent. From the deck of his boat, he took to social media to give his enthusiastic, unequivocal stamp of approval.

His first message was a direct congratulations to Jeanie, not just for the massive price tag, but for finding the right person to take over. “Job well done to my sister Jeanie Buss for striking an incredible deal and picking the right person to carry on the @Lakers legacy and tradition of winning – Mark Walter, my business partner and friend!” he wrote.

He quickly added a classic Magic jab at the Celtics, tweeting, “Just like I thought, when the Celtics sold for $6B, I knew the Lakers were worth $10B!”

Magic’s endorsement is so powerful because he has deep, personal relationships with both the old guard and the new. His connection to the Buss family is the stuff of legend: Dr. Jerry Buss drafted him, and together they built the Showtime dynasty. And his relationship with Jeanie is so close he calls her his “sister.” But he’s also business partners with the new owner, Mark Walter, as a co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. He knows both sides of this deal intimately.

That’s why his words about Walter carried such weight. “Mark Walter is the best choice and will be the best caretaker of the Laker brand,” Magic wrote. “The proof is in the pudding—2 World Series and 11 NL West titles in the last 12 years. He’s driven by winning, excellence, and doing everything the right way. AND he will put in the resources needed to win!”

Magic also shared that he had spoken with Jeanie personally and told her what every Laker fan wanted to hear: “Your dad, Dr. Buss, would be very proud of you for getting $10B for the Lakers.”

At that moment, Magic became the bridge between eras. His blessing turned a seismic shift into a reassuring message for Lakers fans everywhere: the legacy is in good hands, and the standard isn’t going anywhere.