Donald Sterling isn’t going to sell the Los Angeles Clippers without a fight.
An NBA executive who is close to Sterling told the New York Daily News that if the other 29 owners vote to force him to sell the team, he’ll sue the league.
“He’ll sue, and it’ll take years to settle,” the source said.
Sterling was served a $2.5 million fine and a lifetime ban from the league after audio of him making racist comments was released. The Daily News reported that if he is able to make a case against the NBA, it will likely be on the basis of the language in the league’s constitution that deals with “willful acts” in regard to an owner’s conduct. The phrase can be hard to interpret and can include criminal behavior, financial instability, or fixing games.
The vote against Sterling is expected to be unanimously in favor of him selling the team. Should he sue the league and draw out the sale of the team, it would undoubtedly cause a lot of problems with players, coaches and other owners.
The Golden State Warriors were fully prepared to boycott Game 5 against the Clippers had Sterling not received a harsh enough punishment, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see other players do the same if Sterling is still around next season.
Photo via Twitter/@SInow
