Sports Daily: Should Donald Sterling Be Forced to Sell the Clippers?

[Yeah...THAT Guy]

How the tape was obtained, and his actual point does not matter. Like one of the other posters said, he either sells the team and the league is fine or he hangs onto the team and sinks with them. Forcing him to sell the team is doing him and the league as a whole a favor.

[OSGuy321]

He's an old senile man. But it was the right move. Had to set an example. It's time for new money and a new generation to take over. I hope that they clean up FIFA next, the executive committee at FIFA is the same way... old senile men.

[rkocjay]

Quote: Originally Posted by soonermagic88

So if we are going to fire him for what he said, then shouldn't they fire Spike Lee from NBA Radio for all of the racist remarks he has made against white people? Racism is a two way street.

ESPN radio am i correct Steven A smith show

[elgreazy1]

No. The man has the right to free speech regardless of his opinions.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

This has nothing to do with the First Amendment. At all. This is an issue of contract law. Does the NBA charter give the owners the right to force another owner to sell? That I don't believe, the provisions quoted so far don't seem to authorize that drastic a step, and I think if Sterling sued on that point he would win.

However, the NBA can always eject a franchise from the league. And the Clippers without an NBA deal are worth no more than your beer league team. So it's not so much forcing him to sell directly as threatening to make his franchise worthless unless he sells.

[ggsimmonds]

First, it is not a free speech issue.

Second, the NBA bylaws only allow the forceful removal of owners for financial reasons. The NBA will still go through with it, but Sterling will file a lawsuit. That could be very ugly for the NBA. If Sterling has any "dirt" on other owners it is coming out in discovery. Also many others may be hesitant to do it because of the precedent it would set.

Third, Sterling will fight as much as he can in order to avoid paying ~$300 million in capital gains tax.

My answer as to whether the NBA should be allowed to is only if the owners vote to do so.

[Simaofan-20]

No, however I do believe he should but is it really a punishment for the guy? He paid around 30 million dollars for the Clippers(with inflation) and he's going to get easily at least 100m for his team if not a staggering amount more. He did say it in the privacy of his own home and he was illegally recorded(right?) but his opinions are pretty terrible and thus he's been punished but forcing him to sell the team only makes him a bigger millionaire than he already is

[rtkiii]

No...opinion is opinion. Is it a terrible thing to say...yes of course. But this is his business and he OWNS it. I think the NBA could put pressure on him or the fans should protest to where he needs to sell. But forced. No.