NBA commissioner Adam Silver just announced that LA Clippers’ owner Donald Sterling has received a lifetime ban from the NBA. Sterling was also fined $2.5 million dollars, the maximum fine allowed, and Silver urged the NBA Board of Governors to do what they can to help force a sale of the team. Here’s video of Silver’s speech/announcement that I filmed on my iPhone. The official press release is below, as is a statement just released by the Celtics:
NBA COMMISSIONER ADAM SILVER BANS DONALD STERLING FOR LIFE
NEW YORK, April 29, 2014 – NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has banned Donald Sterling for life from any association with the Clippers or the NBA, it was announced today at a press conference in Manhattan.
Commissioner Silver has also fined Mr. Sterling $2.5 million, the maximum amount allowed under the NBA Constitution. The fine money will be donated to organizations dedicated to anti-discrimination and tolerance efforts that will be jointly selected by the NBA and the Players Association.
As part of the lifetime ban, Mr. Sterling may not attend any NBA games or practices, be present at any Clippers office or facility, or participate in any business or player personnel decisions involving the team. He will also be barred from attending NBA Board of Governors meetings and participating in any other league activity.
Commissioner Silver also announced that he will urge the Board of Governors to exercise its authority to force a sale of the team.
The discipline issued today is based on the Commissioner’s conclusion that Mr. Sterling violated league rules through his expressions of offensive and hurtful views, the impact of which has been widely felt throughout the league.
A transcript of Commissioner Silver’s press conference will be issued this afternoon and posted on the NBA’s media website (mediacentral.nba.com).
Statement on Commissioner Silver’s Decision
BOSTON – Statement from Celtics Managing Partners Wycliffe Grousbeck, H. Irving Grousbeck, Stephen Pagliuca and Robert Epstein: “The entire Boston Celtics organization and our ownership group fully support the decisive action taken by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver today. The Celtics stand for inclusion and equality, and we are proud to be a part of a league that shares the same values.”
Woj says that folks are already lining up to make bids on the team:
Several groups with desire to purchase Clippers are already stepping forward, with a bidding war expected to exceed $1 billion for Clippers.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) April 29, 2014
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