The Buss family reiterated its intention to sell the remaining stake in the Los Angeles Lakers, stating that five of the six siblings in the Buss trust remain "united" in the decision. The statement, provided to ESPN's Shams Charania on Tuesday, is in response to Jeanie Buss's declared intention to contest the sale.

"The Los Angeles Lakers have never been just a basketball team. They have been one of the greatest privileges of our lives," the family said. "Our focus has always been on what we believe is best for the Lakers, the fans who have supported this franchise for generations and the greater Los Angeles community.

"Johnny, Jimmy, Janie, Joey and Jesse have made the decision to sell the family's remaining stake, and we remain united in that decision. We intend to move forward thoughtfully, respectfully and through the appropriate process."

Jeanie Buss, the team's current governor, was the only sibling to abstain from Monday's vote authorizing the sale. The family previously agreed to sell the Lakers to Mark Walter last June at a $10 billion valuation, a record at the time for a U.S. professional sports franchise. Sources close to the process told ESPN that several siblings felt frustrated with Jeanie and pressured into approving what they viewed as a rushed transaction.

Just over a year later, the team is being sold again, this time to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger at a $12.5 billion valuation. The Buss family is using a tag-along provision from the original Walter agreement to attach their remaining 17.8 percent stake to the new sale. Kushner and Iger's purchase of Walter's stake accounts for roughly 65 percent of the franchise, a figure that would rise to approximately 83 percent with the Buss family shares included.

The family expressed confidence in the incoming ownership group.

"We have tremendous respect for Bob Iger and Josh Kushner and believe they understand what the Lakers represent to Los Angeles and our incredibly loyal fan base," the family said. "We are confident they will honor everything this franchise stands for while building upon the foundation our father created."

Jeanie Buss is contesting the sale based on a 2017 court ruling she says requires approval from co-trustees Jeanie, Janie and Joey Buss before any transaction can proceed. In a letter sent to her siblings Monday, her attorney Adam Streisand demanded the family publicly acknowledge Jeanie as the Lakers' controlling owner and take no further action toward completing the sale.

Jeanie Buss stands to lose her role as team governor, a position she had previously secured through 2030 under her original agreement with Walter, should the remaining Buss shares in the Lakers be sold to Kushner and Iger.