The blockbuster deal to sell the Los Angeles Clippers went through on Friday, but forces were at work at the same time to bring a $1 billion dollar lawsuit against the NBA. Those forces belonged to Donald Sterling of course because who else would be behind such an insane lawsuit. From ESPN:
The lawsuit was filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, just hours before the NBA announced that it had approved Shelly Sterling and the Sterling family trust’s deal for the Clippers with former Microsoft executive Steve Ballmer, who bid $2 billion for the team. That deal now must be approved by the NBA Board of Governors.
The league responded later Friday.
“Mr. Sterling’s lawsuit is predictable, but entirely baseless,” NBA Executive Vice President and General Counsel Rick Buchanan told ESPN.com’s Darren Rovell. “Among other infirmities, there was no ‘forced sale’ of his team by the NBA — which means his antitrust and conversion claims are completely invalid. Since it was his wife Shelly Sterling, and not the NBA, that has entered into an agreement to sell the Clippers, Mr. Sterling is complaining about a set of facts that doesn’t even exist.”
As part of the sale agreement, Shelly Sterling and the Sterling family trust agreed not to sue the NBA and to absolve the league of litigation by others, including Donald Sterling.
That would seem to sew it all up then. Sterling is wasting his time. Why would he even go through with the lawsuit if such a thing was written into the contract?
Blecher had told Shelburne earlier on Friday that the lawsuit addressed the “invasion of (Sterling’s) constitutional rights, violation of antitrust laws, breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contract.”
He said the lawsuit “had nothing to do with the sale.” (via)
Oh good. It’s nice to know this entire saga has been wrapped up tightly. If we just wait long enough, Sterling might not even remember it ever happening.
(Via ESPN)
