The Los Angeles Lakers have a game Friday night against the rival Boston Celtics, but that was a secondary storyline after the news that broke earlier in the day.
Lakers co-owner Jeanie Buss stopped what she appeared to believe was an ownership takeover attempt by her brothers, Johnny and Jim, by taking the family spat to court Friday, according to The Associated Press.
Jeanie’s lawyers went to court with the intention of filing a temporary restraining order due to her brothers’ request to decide a new board of governors at a meeting next week, according to The AP, but Johnny and Jim backed down, causing Jeanie’s legal team to withdraw the complaint. The brothers’ list of candidates for the meeting didn’t include Jeanie, according to the court filing, via The AP.
However, the Los Angeles Times reported the brothers “signed a document late Thursday reelecting Jeanie Buss as controlling owner” after cancelling their board of governors request. According to the Times, a trial date has been set for May 15.
It probably comes as no coincidence that this family spat comes weeks after Jeanie fired Jim and made Magic Johnson the team’s new president of basketball operations.
Thumbnail photo via Richard Mackson/USA TODAY Sports Images
