Although they are not participating in the playoffs and reside on an opposite coast, the Boston Celtics are strangely entwined in the Donald Sterling saga in a way.
The Los Angeles Clippers are a prominent NBA team today, in part, thanks to the deal worked out last summer to allow Doc Rivers to coach in L.A. Now, the Clips are embroiled in a controversy generated by a taped conversation in which a person said to be Sterling, the Clippers owner, goes on a racist rant.
The Celtics have stayed mostly silent on the issue, however, aside from a brief yet strongly worded statement released on behalf of managing partner Wyc Grousbeck.
“Adam Silver is leading the NBA response to the alleged comments,” Grousbeck said in a statement. “I will say that what I heard on that tape goes against everything the Celtics stand for and our ownership, players, coaches and fans reject it.”
Sterling has a history of racist and unethical behavior in his 33 years at the helm of the Clippers. Since he purchased the franchise in 1981, the team has made the playoffs seven times, including this season, making it out of the first round only twice.
After on-again, off-again negotiations, the Celtics agreed last June to release Rivers from the final three years of his contract with Boston in exchange for the Clippers’ 2015 first-round draft pick.
Photo via Twitter/@TVSassone
