janetDAYZ Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 CNN) - Los Angeles Clippers co-owner Donald Sterling made it clear Friday that he wasn't going away, suing the NBA for more than $1 billion for its decision to ban him for life and force him to sell the franchise. The lawsuit -- which was provided to CNN by Sterling's lawyer and wasn't unexpected -- marks the latest twist in a case that began last month when TMZ posted a recording in which Sterling made racist comments. It also comes amid fresh questions about the 80-year-old's mental state, raising the issue of how much control he has or should have with the Clipppers. Sterling's inflammatory remarks to his companion, V. Stiviano, spawned outrage among NBA fans, players and executives. Chief among the latter was NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who banned Sterling from the league, fined him $2.5 million and pushed through a charge to terminate all of his ownership rights in the franchise. Sterling's camp, in its lawsuit, claims that 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." Among other allegations, Sterling says in the lawsuit that he never violated the NBA's constitution and that the recording that spawned this scandal -- and that recording, it says, is the sole base of the NBA charges against him -- is against California law. The lawsuit also states that "the forced sale of the Los Angeles Clippers threatens not only to produce a lower price than a non-forced sale, but more importantly, it injures competition and forces antitrust injury by making the ... market unresponsive to ... the operation of the free market." "(Sterling believes) that the NBA's forced sale ... would create damages of at least $1 billion, which includes capital gains taxes, unnecessary and increased investment-banking fees, legal and transactional costs, and the loss of all future appreciation in the Los Angeles Clippers franchise value," it adds. The filing in a federal court in California comes a day after Sterling's estranged wife, Shelly, agreed to sell the Clippers to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer for $2 billion. It also comes days before the NBA Board of Governors had been set for a vote that could have forced the Sterlings to give up that team. The NBA said Friday that the June 3 meeting has been canceled -- something Sterling himself had asked for in his lawsuit -- due to the Clippers' pending sale to Ballmer. CNN.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rock & Roll Hall of Game Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 Well.. Good luck with that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aed05 Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 So he purchased the team for about 12 million back in 83, the team is estimated to now be worth 375 million and his wife just secured a deal to sell for 2 BILLION! Now he wants to sue the NBA for another billion. He's actually winning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rock & Roll Hall of Game Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 So he purchased the team for about 12 million back in 83, the team is estimated to now be worth 375 million and his wife just secured a deal to sell for 2 BILLION! Now he wants to sue the NBA for another billion. He's actually winning. $12 million in 1983 is the same as $27 million today though he still got a great deal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reyna ♔ Posted June 2, 2014 Share Posted June 2, 2014 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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