Not defending what Sterling said, but I do think the commissioner instituted a huge rush to judgement.
This story hit the internet early on a Saturday morning. By the next Tuesday afternoon, the commissioner had handed down what amounts to a “death penalty” against Sterling.
This story is not over by a long shot. Sterling’s estranged wife actually is a part owner of the team, and wants to keep her piece. Some players have said that nobody in the Sterling family should own this team.
Forcing a sale of the team could be a legal quagmire for the NBA.
And some players have said they won’t play next season if the sale of the Clippers hasn’t happened by then.
Get popcorn. This could get really interesting.
I was shocked by Sterling’s comments, but, feel that the penalty is excessive. I hope Sterling exercises all his legal rights, whatever they are. The NBA is acting all holier than thou about this crap, and may find that they opened up a Pandora’s box instead.
They only did this to make it look like they were taking the situation more seriously than anything in the history of the NBA -- just to make the racial malcontents shut up. Now that the story is out of the news, it doesn't really matter to the NBA leadership who the hell owns that team.
Had the commissioner NOT made his statement, the players were going to boycott. THAT would have been a mess on so many different levels. Now, the playoffs will finish up, the players ( most of whom are black) believe that Sterling has their back..you have to realize..here has for decades been a lack of trust and respect between the players and David Stern..and now Silver and the league has the off season to try and come up with a solution..that will stand up in court.
“Not defending what Sterling said, but I do think the commissioner instituted a huge rush to judgement.”
No, Adam Silver has stepped on his schmeckel big time!