Two Buss Brothers Fired by Lakers Are Trying to Buy Into NBA Europe Instead

Joey and Jesse Buss aren’t done with professional basketball. Not even close.

Nearly a year after the Buss family sold its majority stake in the Lakers to Mark Walter, the two younger brothers who were let go from the team’s front office are trying to get back in the game. This time through a completely different door: the NBA’s planned expansion into Europe.

According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, Joey and Jesse are working through their firm Buss Sports Capital to pursue an ownership stake in what would eventually become NBA Europe. The league has been laying groundwork for a European league that could tip off as early as fall 2027, and commissioner Adam Silver confirmed this week during NBA Summer League that interest from potential partners has been strong.

What happened with the Lakers

Joey Buss was the Lakers’ vice president of research and development. Jesse Buss was assistant general manager. Both were fired in November as part of a broader front office shakeup that also cut several scouting department staffers.

Before that, though, the two brothers had their fingerprints on some of the Lakers’ best personnel moves in recent years. They were credited with pushing for Austin Reaves and Alex Caruso, two undrafted players who became key contributors. That track record matters here because owning a team in an entirely new league will require sharp talent evaluation from the ground up.

Silver is moving fast on Europe

Silver has been public about the NBA’s European ambitions for a while, but the timeline is getting real. The target is 2027. And he’s already brought in former Chicago Bulls executive Arturas Karnisovas, who was fired earlier this year, to help lead the expansion effort. Karnisovas knows the international game well and has strong European scouting connections from his time in Denver and Chicago.

What’s not clear yet is the exact structure of ownership in the new league. Will it be single-entity like MLS or more traditional franchise ownership like the NBA? The Buss brothers’ interest suggests they see a path forward, and given their family’s history with the Lakers, they have the connections and credibility to make a serious run at it.

Joey and Jesse haven’t commented publicly on their plans. But the fact that they’re moving this quickly after being pushed out of the Lakers organization suggests they see Europe not as a consolation prize but as a genuine opportunity. The NBA’s global push is real. They want in.