Brian Windhorst Breaks Down “Venomous” Firing Of Buss Brothers By Lakers Boss Jeanie Buss

ESPN insider Brian Windhorst has offered his take on the sudden and dramatic firing of Joey and Jesse Buss, suggesting that the decision might have been venomous — and that Jeanie Buss could have played a far more aggressive role than publicly acknowledged. According to Windhorst, the dismissals were not simply a clean house-style front office refresh, but something deeper, darker, and far more personal.

Windhorst pointed out how tight-knit the Buss family has been — and ominously suggested that Jeanie’s choice to cut her brothers hints at serious internal strife.

He said, “The Buss side was very involved for decades.”

Removing Joey and Jesse signals significant power rearrangement, not just organizational restructuring. This could indicate long-held resentments or unresolved conflicts finally reaching a breaking point.

From Windhorst’s viewpoint, it’s not impossible that Jeanie felt threatened in her role as governor — or that she believed a more ruthless approach was necessary to maintain control under new ownership dynamics. By pushing out longtime family members, she may be consolidating control in her own hands, and aligning more visibly with Mark Walter, the Lakers’ new majority owner.

Even more troubling: according to Windhorst, this purge wasn’t just about football operations. The Buss brothers’ departures may alter the entire culture of the franchise, sparking a shift in how decisions will be made going forward. The move may represent a long-term strategy — one oriented around Walter’s vision, with Jeanie acting as a powerful, if not always independent, ally.

It’s early days, and these are, for now, largely speculative insights. But if Windhorst is correct, the Buss saga isn’t over — it may just be entering its most dramatic chapter yet.