Donald Sterling is suing the NBA for $1 billion for the league's mandate banning the Los Angeles Clippers owner for life and forcing him to sell his franchise.
Donald Sterling mentally incapacitated?
According to CNN, the lawsuit states that Sterling never violated the NBA's constitution with his racist remarks to V. Stiviano. The move to terminate his ownership is "unconstitutional, in breach of contract, in restraint of trade, in breach of fiduciary duties and ... is malicious and oppressive," the report adds.
The NBA argues that it is within its rights to force him out and that one of Sterling's lawyers wrote the league last week, stating that "Mr. Sterling agrees to the sale of his interest in the Los Angeles Clippers."
"This letter confirms that Donald T. Sterling authorizes Rochelle Sterling to negotiate with the National Basketball Association regarding all issues in connection with a sale of the Los Angeles Clippers team," lawyer Doug Walton wrote.
Magic Johnson wrong to respond to Donald Sterling's CNN ramblings
If no further evidence is presented, the only fair thing to do is give Sterling back control of the franchise.
Think of the possibilities that could occur with the Clippers back in Donald Sterling's possession.
First, Sterling can say goodbye to coach Doc Rivers. It's not every day a future NBA Hall of Fame coach walks away from a franchise without retiring or getting a better job.
The list of candidates to replace Rivers would- be long, and maybe one of them might even have some high school or YMCA coaching experience. Of course, any professional coach with any kind of dignity will stay away from the Clippers as long as Sterling is in charge. Agreeing to work for Sterling would be the equivalent of a career-killer.
The next to go would be the players. Certainly, no NBA free agent would join the franchise, and if the players under contract were not granted their release, they might not be so willing it give it their all night after night for an owner who has a track record of racism.
The team has nine players under contract for 2014-15, including nine players who contributed significantly in 2013-14. Those players, however, had no qualms about refusing to play a playoff game had Commissioner Adam Silver not acted swiftly in banning Sterling for life.
They certainly would have no qualms - especially Chris Paul - of staging another protest to remove Sterling.
Then, there's the marketing opportunities - or lack thereof - in dealing with a Sterling company. As most of the Clippers business partners were halting their relationships with the team in the immediate aftermath of Sterling's racist rant, they certainly would stay away in 2014-15.
The fans would get their chance to express dissatisfaction over Sterling retaining the Clippers and leave Staples Center empty for home games. Merchandising would dry up as well.
As a result of the convergence of blackballing Sterling, the value of the franchise tumbles exponentially. By this time, Sterling's estranged wife could the courts declare him incompetent, or if he were to prove to the courts he wasn't, then he'd realized he'd have to sell or face losing millions of dollars annually in keeping the team.
The NBA also would lose money, which would serve as punishment for its blind eye turned toward Sterling and all his transgressions prior to the released racist audio.
According to ESPN, "Over the past several weeks, ESPN's 'Outside the Lines' conducted dozens of interviews and reviewed thousands of pages of documents involving Donald Sterling and his wife, Shelly. Through all of the alleged Sterling transgressions, racist statements and actions, boorish sexual behavior and discriminatory practices that cropped up over the past three decades during his tenure as the Clippers' owner, league officials appear to have never asked any questions of those involved. And though some of the cases were wrapped in confidentiality deals, a trove of details could have been found had league officials attempted to glean them, in addition to being able to land interviews with key participants, 'Outside the Lines' has learned. Sterling also has been caught in conflicting testimony under oath, according to various depositions read and viewed by 'Outside the Lines.'
The only hardship with a scenario that allows Sterling to keep the team would be the workers associated with the team - ticket takers, trainers, office administrators - and the lost jobs or lost revenue they might suffer as a result of Sterling's ownership.
But as further discipline, the NBA would have to step up and pay all money due the workers from the time the effects of Sterling's ownership began to hurt them fiscally.
Such a scenario will never happen, but it really would allow for the situation to correct itself.
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