*just reported a few minutes ago (2/18/13)


http://www.ocregister.com/sports/buss-495947-lakers-family.html

Lakers owner Jerry Buss has cancer and is at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, according to a report Thursday by Radaronline.com in which a source suggested Buss is nearing death.

Buss' cancer was learned previously by the Register but not published out of respect for the Buss family's wishes.

Buss, 79, has been called the greatest owner in pro sports history for his 10 NBA championships with the Lakers, in addition to being inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. Buss bought the Lakers in 1979 and currently owns 66 percent of the team.

On Aug. 22, Buss' daughter and Lakers executive vice president of business operations Jeanie Buss posted to her Twitter account: "For all those who asked, Dr. Buss is doing really well, even spending time visiting with Kobe yesterday. My dad's pumped for #Lakers season!"

But Buss has been hospitalized for much of the past year, his health worsening, and the Register recently explored the potentially difficult future for the franchise upon Buss' death with son Jim and daughter Jeanie not speaking to each other and possibilities abounding regarding various ownership groups, even within the Buss family, getting involved.

The Buss family released a statement after that piece was published, saying: "We unanimously agree that we have no intention of ever selling the Lakers, and intend to keep ownership of the team in our family for generations to come."