Adam Silver acted with clear authority Tuesday afternoon, handing down a lifetime ban on Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling after a racist rant by the 80-year-old came to light over the weekend.
The Boston Celtics have stayed on the sidelines, as have owners throughout the league, awaiting Silver’s ruling. Once the punishment was announced, the team voiced its support for the new commissioner’s decision.
“The entire Boston Celtics organization and our ownership group fully support the decisive action taken by NBA commissioner Adam Silver,” managing partners Wyc Grousbeck, H. Irving Grousbeck, Stephen Pagliuca and Robert Epstein said jointly in a statement. “The Celtics stand for inclusion and equality, and we are proud to be a part of a league that shares the same values.”
The Celtics soon will be asked to act on their pledge that they stand with Silver. The commissioner said he would seek the required two-third approval from the other 29 team owners to oust Sterling as owner of the Clippers and put the team up for sale.
