Microballing: Steve Ballmer's LA Clippers

[wutang112878]

 
I couldn't disagree with this more. There are only 30 teams in the NBA, and the way the league salary system is set up makes it almost impossible for players to play where they want and get paid their full value. It's the NBA owners who let this creep stay in the league for 30 years, and we expect the workers to sacrifice a significant share of their life earnings because the NBA, as entity, did nothing to get this guy out of the league? The only people you seem to be asking to make a sacrifice are the black workers.

 
I specifically noted that for Paul to sign elsewhere he had to give up significant dollars, so him I can understand.  Doc got the same money there that he would have got here, he gained a better team, but he had an option here or the option of trying to go to a team that wasnt the Clippers as well.  Doc wasnt sacrificing money and thats a significant difference.

 

[RedOctober3829]

TMZ ‏@TMZ 5m
#Breaking: The NBA has decided to suspend Clippers owner, Donald Sterling, INDEFINITELY
 

With the caveat of "consider the source".

 

Alex Kennedy ‏@AlexKennedyNBA 2m
TMZ reports that the NBA will suspend Donald Sterling indefinitely and fine him $5 million. He won't be forced to sell team.
 

 

[The Social Chair]

 
People other than black guys play (edit --> and work) in the NBA and even for the Clippers.  There's also a rumor that some non-black players aren't automatically cool with racism.

 
Fascinating point. Thank you. But it was in reference to the other poster mentioning Chris Paul.

 

[Brickowski]

Well, if Rivers, CP3 and others leave, that unprotected 2015 first rounder is looking better and better.

 

[Dan to Theo to Ben]

Alex Kennedy ‏@AlexKennedyNBA 2m
TMZ reports that the NBA will suspend Donald Sterling indefinitely and fine him $5 million. He won't be forced to sell team.
 

Wilt is smiling. That $5 mil fine is 10,000 sessions for DS. Well, would be, if AC was still in the picture.

 

[BoredViewer]

 
Fascinating point. Thank you. But it was in reference to the other poster mentioning Chris Paul.

 
I took his point to be about greed being an underlying factor in all of this... with Doc and Paul being the biggest, most obvious, and most recent examples (who happen to be black).  I wouldn't have taken his opinion to be any different if the highest profile players/coach happened to be another race - which I thought was the point you were making.
 
* Something like "If the white owners aren't going to be outraged first and put something on the line, why should the black players/coaches?!?!"

 

[Luis Taint]

Got off lightly

 

[riboflav]

Got off lightly

 
It's probably all the NBA can really do. In the end, the punishment was entirely predictable. 

 

[Merkle's Boner]

I realize he's a billionaire and all, but $5 million sounds like a huge fine. Has there ever been a bigger fine handed down to an individual?

 

[scottyno]

I realize he's a billionaire and all, but $5 million sounds like a huge fine. Has there ever been a bigger fine handed down to an individual?

500k is the largest fine ever in the nba for an individual unless you count fines from loss of time due to suspension

 

[BoredViewer]

Here we go:
 
http://time.com/79590/donald-sterling-kareem-abdul-jabbar-racism/
 
Holly is nailing it right now on WEEI.  Making the point... a lot of people are suddenly outraged - should've been a long, long time ago.

 

[mabrowndog]

BANNED FOR LIFE.
 
Good for you, Mr. Silver.

 

[jose melendez]

BANNED FOR LIFE.
 
Good for you, Mr. Silver.

 
Which means what?

 

[mabrowndog]

Fine is $2.5 M "The maximum allowed under the NBA Constitution"

 

[jsinger121]

Silver killing this press conference.

 

[scottyno]

 
Which means what?

can't go to games practices anything team related, be involved in personnel decisions, or go to board of governors meetings

 

[JayMags71]

Which means what?

"Good for you" in this context means that MBD generally agrees with the manner that Silver has handled this situation.

 

[The Mort Report]

Wow the hammer is being dropped (rightfully)

 

[jose melendez]

can't go to games practices anything team related, be involved in personnel decisions, or go to board of governors meetings

 
So who does make those decisions on behalf of the Clippers?  How does the NBA determine he's not involved with decisions etc?  
 
And he still gets to keep all of the profits right?

 

[mabrowndog]

can't go to games practices anything team related, be involved in personnel decisions, or go to board of governors meetings

 
He's also banned from anything NBA-related, meaning he'll never be allowed to enter any NBA arena or facility.

 

[TheRealness]

 
He's also banned from anything NBA-related, meaning he'll never be allowed to enter any NBA arena or facility.

 
And Silver has "urged" the Board of Governors to vote to force him to sell the team. When asked about how much support he has, he indicated he spoke with "several" owners and has their full support. 
 
This is just getting started. 

 

[jose melendez]

I assume the notion is to make it so unpleasent and humiliating he'll sell.
 
I'm still curious about how Doc, Blake, Paul etc will feel about the benefits of their work going into this guy's pocket.

 

[DukeSox]

What legal entity forces him to pay that fine? Especially since he's "banned" anyway?

 

[The Mort Report]

wow he admitted to it being him on the tape but didnt apologize to Sivler for it?
 
edit: clarity

 

[NatetheGreat]

What legal entity forces him to pay that fine? Especially since he's "banned" anyway?

 
Presumably there's something in NBA bylaws saying that if you want to own an NBA team you have to abide by NBA rules, including fines. I'm sure he can fight them, but it may well give them stronger standing to simply strip him of the team outright.

 

[mabrowndog]

 
So who does make those decisions on behalf of the Clippers?  How does the NBA determine he's not involved with decisions etc?  
 
And he still gets to keep all of the profits right?

 
I believe the league will place the operational aspects of the team into a trust, meaning the NBA can not only dictate who is involved in the front office of the franchise, but can appoint league representatives to those positions on an observational, advisory or executive basis. It means Donald Sterling can't even order a box of paper clips from Staples for his secretary.
 
As for the profits, yes, those will remain his until a sale is effected. If Sterling doesn't proceed with the sales process at a pace and progress that the NBA deems satisfactory or reasonable, the NBA can place the franchise under receivership and handle the sale on its own. This mechanism is part of every NBA franchise agreement.
 
I suspect the only reason they're not going straight to a receivership is to avoid any legal challenges that would only further stall the process and serve as a further distraction.

 

[jose melendez]

The fine they'll get, I want to know who runs the team now and how they ensure that person isn't taking orders from Sterling. 
 
This is pretty clearly just a first step in an effort to force him out, but most of what I know about Sterling suggests he doesn't go down quiet.

 

[Merkle's Boner]

Silver is really good at handling these questions.

 

[Stitch01]

What legal entity forces him to pay that fine? Especially since he's "banned" anyway?

The NBA constitution is the governing document here, and Id guess remedies for non-payment of fines is pretty server.  Sterling isn't stupid enough to throw away his billion dollar asset to contest a $2.5MM fine.

 

[bowiac]

What legal entity forces him to pay that fine? Especially since he's "banned" anyway?

Presumably, if he didn't pay, they would initiate proceedings against him, and a court/arbitrator would ultimately make him pay, unless the NBA bylaws just allow them to withhold national TV dollars instead.
 
I think jose is correct, he's gonna sell now. There's no point in owning a team just for the profits.

 

[Al Zarilla]

In Silver's opening comments, mentioned two Celtics, Chuck Cooper and the great Bill Russell, three if you include Doc.

 

[riboflav]

Sterling family can still own the team.

 

[jose melendez]

Presumably, if he didn't pay, they would initiate proceedings against him, and a court/arbitrator would ultimately make him pay, unless the NBA bylaws just allow them to withhold national TV dollars instead.
 
I think jose is correct, he's gonna sell now. There's no point in owning a team just for the profits.

 
Wait, I said he wasn't going to sell.

 

[soxfan121]

edit: already addressed

 

[jose melendez]

I'm not feeling good about myself.  Yeah, I want Sterling to rot in hell, but mostly I just want the Clippers to suck next year for draft purposes.

 

[mascho]

Silver is really good at handling these questions.

I was thinking the same thing.

Normally seeing tweets on my TV annoys me, but the shown by ESPN seem to indicate broad support for Silver here.

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

 
I believe the league will place the operational aspects of the team into a trust, meaning the NBA can not only dictate who is involved in the front office of the franchise, but can appoint league representatives to those positions on an observational, advisory or executive basis. It means Donald Sterling can't even order a box of paper clips from Staples for his secretary.
 
As for the profits, yes, those will remain his until a sale is effected. If Sterling doesn't proceed with the sales process at a pace and progress that the NBA deems satisfactory or reasonable, the NBA can place the franchise under receivership and handle the sale on its own. This mechanism is part of every NBA franchise agreement.
 
I suspect the only reason they're not going straight to a receivership is to avoid any legal challenges that would only further stall the process and serve as a further distraction.

 
If this results in more shenanigans like the Chris Paul/New Orleans deal when the NBA owned that team, we may not be so pleased with this outcome.

 

[Cellar-Door]

Presumably, if he didn't pay, they would initiate proceedings against him, and a court/arbitrator would ultimately make him pay, unless the NBA bylaws just allow them to withhold national TV dollars instead.
 
I think jose is correct, he's gonna sell now. There's no point in owning a team just for the profits.

Under the agreements it is already treated as having the same binding power as an arbitration decision, one of the reasons Cuban always just pays the fine no matter what. The could pretty easily have it enforced just by getting a court order based on the arbitration decision.

 

[mabrowndog]

TMZ ‏@TMZ 5m
#Breaking: The NBA has decided to suspend Clippers owner, Donald Sterling, INDEFINITELY

 

Alex Kennedy ‏@AlexKennedyNBA 2m
TMZ reports that the NBA will suspend Donald Sterling indefinitely and fine him $5 million. He won't be forced to sell team.
 

 

Lifetime.
 
$2.5M
 
Will be forced to sell.
 
That's a pretty massive 0-for-3 whiff by TMZ as the "Breaking News" guys on the block.

 

[bowiac]

 
Wait, I said he wasn't going to sell.

Ah - I took "I assume the notion is to make it so unpleasent and humiliating he'll sell." as you saying you thought he'd sell.
 
He may well challenge the ban, but if it holds up, I think he'll sell. The Clippers' value in a sale will far exceed their value as a business. Why keep a billion dollar asset that you can't have fun with, in exchange for ~$10-20M/year in profits?

 

[riboflav]

Ah - I took "I assume the notion is to make it so unpleasent and humiliating he'll sell." as you saying you thought he'd sell.
 
He may well challenge the ban, but if it holds up, I think he'll sell. The Clippers' value in a sale will far exceed their value as a business. Why keep a billion dollar asset that you can't have fun with, in exchange for ~$10-20M/year in profits?

 
Not to mention he's allowed to "sell" to his family.

 

[Brohamer of the Gods]

 
 
 

 

Lifetime.
 
That's a pretty massive 0-for-3 whiff by TMZ as the "Breaking News" guys on the block.
 

I'll give them 1/2 credit for lifetime - the length of Sterling's life is indefinite.

 

[E5 Yaz]

Just a side note, but thank god it isn't the snarky arrogance of David Stern in this press conference

 

[bowiac]

 
Not to mention he's allowed to "sell" to his family.

I assume NBA sales are subject to league approval. I can't imagine they'd go for that.

 

[mabrowndog]

Not Bill Walton ‏@NotBillWalton  2m
Known racist Donald Sterling's NBA tenure under David Stern = 10,988 days. Sterling's NBA tenure under Adam Silver = 88 days. Point: Silver.

 

[octoberaroma]

Sterling family can still own the team.

If his family remains in ownership that would be a mistake. Sterling would only continue to yield his influence

 

[mabrowndog]

I assume NBA sales are subject to league approval. I can't imagine they'd go for that.

 
That's exactly right.

 

[mabrowndog]

von wafer ‏@vonwafer13
we gotta open our eyes Elgin Baylor tried to tell us about Donald sterling years ago.

 

[Swedgin]

 
Not to mention he's allowed to "sell" to his family.

What is the basis for that statement.  The NBA, like all the major sports, requires league approval of a sale.  There is zero chance that Silver/Board of Governors is approving a sale to a Sterling family member.  

 

[Cellar-Door]

 
 
 

 

Lifetime.
 
$2.5M
 
Will be forced to sell.
 
That's a pretty massive 0-for-3 whiff by TMZ as the "Breaking News" guys on the block.
 

The best part is that the $2.5M being the maximum allowed fine language has been everywhere this week.