Under new majority owner Mark Walter, the Los Angeles Lakers organization is undergoing some significant changes.
Jeanie Buss is staying on as Governor for at least the next five years, but her younger brothers Joey and Jesse Buss were recently let go from their front office positions.
According to recent reports, the Lakers’ front office is expected to change this offseason with the organization bringing in more smart people to run the team, similar to what Walter did when he took over the Dodgers. In fact, the Lakers are looking to model their front office after the Dodgers’.
One other change that appears to be on the horizon is president of business operations Tim Harris leaving the organization after this season, per Dan Woike of The Athletic:
Lakers president of business operations Tim Harris informed staff Tuesday that this will be his final season with the organization per sources. Harris, who was the driving force between the massive local TV rights deal with Spectrum SportsNet, has been with the Lakers/The Forum…
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) February 17, 2026
Harris is a former professional soccer player that grew close to Dr. Jerry Buss and has been working with the Lakers on the business side for the last 30-plus years. He was involved in a lot of key decisions, including their TV deal with Spectrum that gives them a huge advantage over other smaller-market teams.
It remains to be seen how the Lakers will replace Harris, but Walter likely has someone in mind as he has thrived on the business side with the Dodgers in recent years. The Lakers are one of the biggest brands in all of sports, and being able to really capitalize on that will be key for the organization moving forward in this new era.
Jeanie Buss discusses Lakers building around Luka Doncic
On and off the court, the Lakers have a superstar to build around for years to come in Luka Doncic, the 26-year-old who was acquired in a trade with the Dallas Mavericks last year.
After building around LeBron James and Anthony Davis for so many years, the Lakers’ focus now shifts to Doncic, who Jeanie Buss is excited to have in the organization.
“The partnership will give us the stability to continue to move forward as we build towards a team around Doncic,” Buss said. “We couldn’t be more proud that he is a Laker. He is a young all-star that the fans love to see.”
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