Donald Sterling gone off the deep end

[capstone21]

This dude just won't go away.

I can't believe he wants to stay around and sue the league for 1 billion.

He has no chance and the fact that it is already found that he does not have the mental capacity to make decisions for his team says that he is just wasting his time.

His lawyers should advise him as such. However, what do I know.

Players have already said that if Sterling was still around they would not play next season. If this drags on I would not be surprised to see a short work stoppage until it is resolved.

2 billion was way too much for the Clippers anyway and was starting a bad precedent going forward. I hope Ballmer can get his franchise for Seattle though. Would be nice to see the sonics back.

[ATLHawks3]

He just agreed to not sue the league like a week ago. He finally came to his senses.

[capstone21]

He just agreed to not sue the league like a week ago. He finally came to his senses.

No he has now rescinded that and the sale of the team for 2 billion. He is suing the league again

[ATLHawks3]

No he has now rescinded that and the sale of the team for 2 billion. He is suing the league again

Wow. I hope he loses!

[AHF]

I think he is trying to get the league to drop the 2.5M fine. He knows they won't lift the ban but they might be willing to drop the fine to make him go away.

[Vol4ever]

I don't care what the NBA by laws are, it is just not right to force someone to sell the property they bought with their own money. I disagree with the NBA and I think Mark Cuban does too.

[EazyRoc]

I don't care what the NBA by laws are, it is just not right to force someone to sell the property they bought with their own money. I disagree with the NBA and I think Mark Cuban does too.

Dont necessarily disagree here. However, the way the league is set up I see why Silver is calling for this. Lets just say the Clippers players strike. The Clippers are now hemorraghing money and because of profit sharing the other teams lose money as a result. Now if the entire league strikes then we are talking massive losses. The Clippers already lost a ton of money from sponsors. Sterling cant win fighting this out in court, but if you are going to force the sale of the team at least drop the fine.

[Vol4ever]

Dont necessarily disagree here. However, the way the league is set up I see why Silver is calling for this. Lets just say the Clippers players strike. The Clippers are now hemorraghing money and because of profit sharing the other teams lose money as a result. Now if the entire league strikes then we are talking massive losses. The Clippers already lost a ton of money from sponsors. Sterling cant win fighting this out in court, but if you are going to force the sale of the team at least drop the fine.

I believe it is against the bylaws for the players to strike unless their collective bargaining contract is up. They wouldn't go on strike and lose contract money anyway. I would call their hand on this. Bottom line for me this is a issue of stealing a citizens property. I cant recall anywhere that your property can be taken for making remarks even if it is considered racist by some.

[EazyRoc]

I believe it is against the bylaws for the players to strike unless their collective bargaining contract is up. They wouldn't go on strike and lose contract money anyway. I would call their hand on this. Bottom line for me this is a issue of stealing a citizens property. I cant recall anywhere that your property can be taken for making remarks even if it is considered racist by some.

A player can sit out for whatever reason they want. They are not forced to work. He made an agreement to comply with the bylaws before purchasing the team. Thats what makes it legally binding. I can guarantee you that if Sterling isnt removed, there will be some sort of protest that will hurt the team OR Sterling could allow Clippers players to enter free agency (not too sure about that one). He violated the rules of the league and now he has to sale his team. It will not end well for him regardless. Only thing he can hope for is to get the fine removed. Either way good riddance.

[AHF]

I cant recall anywhere that your property can be taken for making remarks even if it is considered racist by some.

The problem for him is that he signed a contract that gives the NBA the right to do that. This isn't the government taking his stuff where that would raise free speech and privacy issues. His biggest problem is that his wife has the power to sell the team and he has been declared mentally incompetent so I think his lawsuit will end up getting resolve or tossed out. Dropping the fine (or offsetting against the wife's portion of the 2B sale price) is a likely resolution.

[AHF]

The players can't strike legally under their CBA however it would be an absolute public relations nightmare for the league to go file a labor charge against them if they were protesting his racial comments in light of his prior history of housing discrimination. It is the damage to the league's reputation and the loss of sponsors that makes the case so strong. The Clippers lost a bunch of sponsors in a matter of days.

[Guest]

I don't think the players will go on a full on strike but I can see them doing something like not playing the Christmas Day games - call in sick.

Edited June 12, 2014 by JayBirdHawk

[NJHAWK]

If his daughter actually wanted to continue ownership I think she would have a good case. She could say her father was mentally incompetant when he did what he did and that he isnt capable of running the buisness and she could take over although it would be a long drawn out court process. I think its obvious her mindset is take the 2 billion and run though. Which seems the wise choice to me.

[Guest]

If his daughter actually wanted to continue ownership I think she would have a good case. She could say her father was mentally incompetant when he did what he did and that he isnt capable of running the buisness and she could take over although it would be a long drawn out court process. I think its obvious her mindset is take the 2 billion and run though. Which seems the wise choice to me.

Daughter? You mean wife.

[Duff_Man]

$2 billion? His financial advisor should be fired.

[AHF]

If his daughter actually wanted to continue ownership I think she would have a good case. She could say her father was mentally incompetant when he did what he did and that he isnt capable of running the buisness and she could take over although it would be a long drawn out court process. I think its obvious her mindset is take the 2 billion and run though. Which seems the wise choice to me.

This is what kills his chances. She has control of things and has arranged a sale before the NBA took the team away. The NBA has approved that sale. On top of that, she indemnified the NBA against claims by Sterling so if he sues the NBA and wins he basically pays himself. The NBA doesn't have any real exposure.

[NJHAWK]

Daughter? You mean wife.

Im almost 100% sure Silver said his daughter was the one going to court to expedite the sale.

Edited June 18, 2014 by NJHAWK

[AHF]

Im almost 100% sure Silver said his daughter was the one going to court to expedite the sale.

It is his wife that co-owns the team and runs the trust that owns the team. His wife is the one running the sale process.

[Guest]

Im almost 100% sure Silver said his daughter was the one going to court to expedite the sale.

Silver or Sterling? Edited June 18, 2014 by JayBirdHawk

[NJHAWK]

It is his wife that co-owns the team and runs the trust that owns the team. His wife is the one running the sale process.

Yup I goofed. For some reason I thought I heard Silver say Sterlings daughter during his interview at the finals. This still seems like its going to be a long process which must be pissing the guy putting up the 2 billion. With the rumours of Lebron eyeing the Clippers which would dramatically increase the value of the franchise overnite. Cant see Lebron going there with all this in the air though.

Edited June 18, 2014 by NJHAWK