NBA investigates Clippers owner Donald Sterling for racism

[Kennedyin92]

Naive question. Why is Kevin Johnson (still Mayor of Sacramento, I thought) being involved with this for the players? I can understand he has connections as a former player, since that is what helped him saved the Kings for Sac-town, but seems odd that he is this involved? When does he come up for re-election SacHawk?

Anyway, I was wrong about what the NBA would do. They seem to have the ability to limit who can execute a binding sales contract and can limit a owner's business based on actions detrimental to the image of the league. Wierd how this audio motivated the new commish when prior acts were deemed not that big a deal by the previous commish.

He's a liaison for the Player's Association.

 

[drdiags]

He's a liaison for the Player's Association.

Sure, but shouldn't he first be the Mayor for Sacramento? Seems like a conflict of interest.

 

[Kennedyin92]

Honestly, I think the liaison job was just a way for the NBA to stroke his ego after the Sacramento kerfuffle.

 

[Hasselbeck]

Read into this as you may

Well, they can't really say anything until 3/4 of the owners vote him out completely.

I did read that Silver would actually control the sale/purchase of the Clippers if (likely when at this point) Sterling is removed as owner. So I'd say there is a 0.1% chance of Ballmer/Hansen getting a shot.

 

[drdiags]

Honestly, I think the liaison job was just a way for the NBA to stroke his ego after the Sacramento kerfuffle.

Yeah, that is what I am thinking. He got the hero's celebration, helping to save the day with the help of the Commish and local buyers. Just figured he would concentrate back on his city's non-sports issues and not feel the need to get involved with this issue, though Chris Paul did call him. Most likely, if he chooses not to run for re-election or is term-limited, he must be planning to get involved with the NBA working within the league office.

 

[drdiags]

Read into this as you may

Well, they can't really say anything until 3/4 of the owners vote him out completely.

I did read that Silver would actually control the sale/purchase of the Clippers if (likely when at this point) Sterling is removed as owner. So I'd say there is a 0.1% chance of Ballmer/Hansen getting a shot.

That would be a disaster for the league if they run Sterling out of town, then end up having to take a Seattle offer. The Clipper fans could file a class-action suit since the side-affect of forcing Sterling to sell would be they lost the team to another city.

 

[SonicHawk]

-0% chance Clippers are sold to Hansen/Ballmer.

 

[Throwdown]

-0% chance Clippers are sold to Hansen/Ballmer.

I'm getting the feeling that H/b/n isn't even gonna bother with this one.

 

[Blitzer88]

-0% chance Clippers are sold to Hansen/Ballmer.

I'm getting the feeling that H/b/n isn't even gonna bother with this one.

Yeah, I doubt Hansen would even attempt to get the Clippers. After the whole Kings debacle, I just don't see the NBA returning for a long time if ever.

 

[Throwdown]

-0% chance Clippers are sold to Hansen/Ballmer.

I'm getting the feeling that H/b/n isn't even gonna bother with this one.

Yeah, I doubt Hansen would even attempt to get the Clippers. After the whole Kings debacle, I just don't see the NBA returning for a long time if ever.

Its not that at all, its just... You don't want to be THAT guy right now, and aside from the ownership situation, there's no reason at all for the Clippers to leave LA, there's no arena problem, the team is good, and has insanely marketable players. This is just a battle that isn't worth fighting for Hansen & Ballmer, and I think it'd be a one way ticket to fall out of favor with NBA owners that they're trying to build good will with.

I hope they leave the situation alone.

 

[dontbelikethat]

Honestly, I think the liaison job was just a way for the NBA to stroke his ego after the Sacramento kerfuffle.

Yeah, that is what I am thinking. He got the hero's celebration, helping to save the day with the help of the Commish and local buyers. Just figured he would concentrate back on his city's non-sports issues and not feel the need to get involved with this issue, though Chris Paul did call him. Most likely, if he chooses not to run for re-election or is term-limited, he must be planning to get involved with the NBA working within the league office.

He's currently a chairman in the NBAP, so his involvement is not exactly a surprise. He's a mayor, but that never stopped him from involving himself with basketball. Well respected guy and like you said, many players requested him to take the lead of the NBAP for the case, so it makes sense that he did it.

 

[Smelly McUgly]

I feel the opposite way. They should have sued the league to try and force expansion with the Kings, and they honestly are probably screwed if they don't take every chance they can get to acquire a team now by buying and suing if they are turned down for acquiring/moving it.

Getting in good with the owners isn't going to get them to expand. Milwaukee and Sacramento are off the table (though either arena deal could fall apart, admittedly). This is a sudden bonus chance they need to take advantage of. Either that or just sell off the SoDo land and scrap everything.

 

[dontbelikethat]

I feel the opposite way. They should have sued the league to try and force expansion with the Kings, and they honestly are probably screwed if they don't take every chance they can get to acquire a team now by buying and suing if they are turned down for acquiring/moving it.

Getting in good with the owners isn't going to get them to expand. Milwaukee and Sacramento are off the table (though either arena deal could fall apart, admittedly). This is a sudden bonus chance they need to take advantage of. Either that or just sell off the SoDo land and scrap everything.

I don't get what suing would do. I mean if the NBA doesn't want to expand it's own entity, how can the law force them to? As much as it sucks, I think you have to "get good with the owners", because they decide everything collectively. You can't force ownership of a team (they vote on approval), you can't force relocation (they vote on approval), just don't know what HBN can do. It's a tough spot to be in, but I guess being patient and jumping on an opportunity when it arises is all they can do if they still want a team. Also just hate idea of expansion, league has a lot of spot filers on the roster as is, the East has teams that aren't even .500 in/contending for the playoffs, don't want to see a more watered down league. Maybe times are just changing, really miss how it was in the early to mid 2000's.

 

[Smelly McUgly]

I feel the opposite way. They should have sued the league to try and force expansion with the Kings, and they honestly are probably screwed if they don't take every chance they can get to acquire a team now by buying and suing if they are turned down for acquiring/moving it.

Getting in good with the owners isn't going to get them to expand. Milwaukee and Sacramento are off the table (though either arena deal could fall apart, admittedly). This is a sudden bonus chance they need to take advantage of. Either that or just sell off the SoDo land and scrap everything.

I don't get what suing would do. I mean if the NBA doesn't want to expand it's own entity, how can the law force them to? As much as it sucks, I think you have to "get good with the owners", because they decide everything collectively. You can't force ownership of a team (they vote on approval), you can't force relocation (they vote on approval), just don't know what HBN can do. It's a tough spot to be in, but I guess being patient and jumping on an opportunity when it arises is all they can do if they still want a team. Also just hate idea of expansion, league has a lot of spot filers on the roster as is, the East has teams that aren't even .500 in/contending for the playoffs, don't want to see a more watered down league. Maybe times are just changing, really miss how it was in the early to mid 2000's.

I can't find a good link right now, but look up how the Tampa Bay Rays came into existence when a Tampa group got their purchase/move of the Giants nixed and they threatened to sue. That's just one example.

 

[dontbelikethat]

Yeah seems hard to find a any info regarding their purchase.

 

[Smelly McUgly]

Yeah seems hard to find a any info regarding their purchase.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1 ... 94,1708729

We had the Kings - should have sued then. The Sonics would be playing here in 2017 if they did.

 

[Throwdown]

They would've played here this year, the plan is to play the two years in KeyArena with league approved temporary upgrades while the arena is built.

 

[Sports Hernia]

I mean.. from the leagues standpoint.. what were the two black eyes on the NBA as of today?

- Sterling

- The Seattle situation

He can fix both. Instantly.

DO IT ADAM.

Trust me, he doesn't have the balls to do it. He won't make the Clipper fanbase suffer with losing their team because they have a racist owner. Besides that, common sense and corporate America - Pro sports leagues are rare.

 

[Sports Hernia]

Yeah seems hard to find a any info regarding their purchase.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1 ... 94,1708729

We had the Kings - should have sued then. The Sonics would be playing here in 2017 if they did.

Yep, the nuclear option should have been exercised!

 

[Smelly McUgly]

They would've played here this year, the plan is to play the two years in KeyArena with league approved temporary upgrades while the arena is built.

Sorry for being vague, I mean that if HBN had sued, they well might have been granted expansion to avoid court. I would assume they would have held off until '17 (or '16, I guess, if the arena could have been built in two years).