The league is negotiating a new TV deal this summer. If Sterling wanted to , he could hold out till the contract talks and hold it over everyone’s head until one of the prospective owner groups pays him whatever he asks for.
Los Angeles saw this happen virtually exactly the same way when Frank McCourt sold the Dodgers for a lot more than they were worth to a group of investors Magic Johnson is a part of.
I figure he can get a billion for the team, no matter what they are valued at. Also, he is old, it is a good time to retire.
Sterling paid $12.5 million for the Clippers. The team is currently valued at about $600 million.