Clippers Sold To Steve Balmer For $2 Billion - Finally Official

[key2win]

Donald Sterling disliked by 92 percent of America, according to poll - ESPN Los Angeles

Donald Sterling isn't just disliked; he's the most hated man in America.

That's according to the results of a poll by E-Poll Market Research that was released Thursday.

The company said that, out of the people who were familiar with the Los Angeles Clippers' owner, 92 percent said they disliked him. In the impressionable 13- to 24-year-old male demographic, 97 percent disliked him, according to the poll.

Sterling is hated more than Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff, who is disliked by 90 percent of the population, O.J. Simpson (88 percent), Michael Jackson doctor Conrad Murray (88 percent) and Justin Bieber (86 percent). Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, who pleaded not guilty to two first-degree murder charges Wednesday, finished seventh on the list.

Rank Name Percent
1 Donald Sterling 92
2 Bernie Madoff 90
T3 O.J. Simpson 88
T3 Conrad Murray 88
5 Justin Bieber 86
6 Phil Spector 83
7 Aaron Hernandez 81
8 Michael Lohan 76
9 Eliot Spitzer 73
10 Jon Gosselin 71

"Donald Sterling made these callous statements, and then he has more than doubled down on them since then," said Gerry Philpott, president and CEO of E-Poll, which said it polled 1,100 people between ages 13 and 49 whose demographics were representative of the U.S. population.

To put Sterling's numbers into perspective, Philpott said the athletes in his company's database are disliked by an average of 15 percent of the population.

[key2win]

Former Microsoft executive Steve Ballmer submits winning bid to buy Clippers, according to sources - ESPN Los Angeles

Please let this sale go through and put an end to all this crap once and for all.

The Sterling family trust has signed an agreement to sell the Los Angeles Clippers to former Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer for $2 billion, sources tell ESPN.com's Ramona Shelburne.

The agreement is going straight to the NBA for final approval and does not require additional approval from banned Clippers owner Donald Sterling, according to sources.

ESPN.com's Darren Rovell reported earlier Thursday that Ballmer's $2 billion bid was the highest submitted, topping those from groups led by music mogul David Geffen ($1.6 billion) and L.A. investors Tony Ressler and Steve Karsh ($1.2 billion).

Geffen confirmed to ESPN on Thursday night that his group had formally withdrawn from the bidding.

Sterling's wife, Shelly, had pushed to negotiate a sale before Tuesday's board of governors meeting at which both of the Sterlings' ownership interests could be terminated, while Donald Sterling had vowed to fight the NBA's attempts to force a sale.

News of Ballmer's bid was first reported by the Los Angeles Times.

Magic Johnson, who was referenced in the racist remarks Sterling made that resulted in the owner's ban from the NBA, expressed his excitement over Ballmer's bid in several tweets Thursday evening.

The $2 billion price tag is just for the Clippers and ranks among the richest ever for a North American professional sports franchise. The Los Angeles Dodgers were sold to the Guggenheim Group in 2012 for $2.15 billion, but that price included land, parking lots and TV deals, making it more expensive.

The Clippers deal would be the most paid by far for an NBA team, after the $550 million paid for the Milwaukee Bucks this year.

Ballmer, 58, was CEO of Microsoft from 2000 to '14, and is worth $20.3 billion, according to Forbes. He would become the richest majority owner in major U.S. sports, passing his former boss, Seahawks and Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen (worth $16 billion, according to Forbes). Ballmer was the only investor that did not immediately seek out other partners when preparing a bid.

On Wednesday, Seattle Seahawks (and former USC Trojans) coach Pete Carroll took to Twitter to back Ballmer.

It's not the first time Ballmer has bid on an NBA team. He was part of a group that attempted to buy the Sacramento Kings last year, with the intent of moving the team to Seattle. NBA owners voted to reject the proposed move.

Ballmer told The Wall Street Journal earlier this month that, should he obtain the Clippers, he would not attempt to move the franchise from Los Angeles, saying that would be "value destructive."

Shelly Sterling told bidders to submit letters of interest by Wednesday, with firm offers due by 5 p.m. ET on Thursday.

Geffen's group also included Oracle CEO Larry Ellison and Oprah Winfrey, as well as Guggenheim executives Todd Boehly and Mark Walter, Steve Jobs' widow Laurene Jobs, Steve Wynn's ex-wife Elaine Wynn, and Beats by Dre co-founder Jimmy Iovine.

Former NBA All-Star Grant Hill was part of Ressler and Karsh's group.

On a $2 billion sale, the Sterlings would pay approximately $662 million in capital gains taxes, according to accountant Robert Raiola, sports and entertainment senior group manager at O'Connor Davies LLP in New Jersey.

[ranbethscards]

Please let this sale go through and put an end to all this crap once and for all.

Agreed... but 2 Billion Dollars? Not sure there's any possibility of flipping this team for a profit at that cost.

[key2win]

Attorney says Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling is suing NBA for $1 billion - ESPN Los Angeles

Donald Sterling isn't done fighting yet.

The banned Los Angeles Clippers owner has filed a lawsuit against the NBA asking for damages in excess of $1 billion.

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.

Since the agreement between the NBA and Sterling trust was announced after the lawsuit was filed in court, Donald Sterling's attorney, Max Blecher, said he needed to review all the new information before proceeding.

"We gotta sit down and see how all of this affects us," Blecher told ESPN.com's Ramona Shelburne. "We have to think through the whole situation. ... She's saying if you sue us, we'll have to pay out of our own money. It's like suing themselves. We have to see whether the law allows to happen.

"We have not had a chance to analyze or do any legal research about it. There's a lot of stuff happening in a very compact period of time. Give us a break."

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."

Donald Sterling repeatedly has vowed to fight the NBA's attempts to force him to sell the team. That fight was temporarily derailed this week after sources say he was found by experts to be mentally incapacitated, paving the way for Shelly Sterling to become the sole trustee of the family trust and empowering her to work on an agreement to sell the team to Ballmer.

Earlier in May, two neurologists conducted a number of brain tests on Sterling, 80, at the urging of his family, a source said. Their diagnosis was that he was suffering from Alzheimer's disease, and likely had been for "three to five years."

Sterling's side, as well as his wife's attorneys, had known of the tests' results for some time, the source said. The family trust has rules and guidelines regarding mental incapacitation, which it defined as an inability to conduct normal and regular business affairs.

Earlier Friday, Blecher confirmed in an email to ESPN that evaluations were performed on his client but said the results of the neurologists' examinations were "grossly exaggerated" and that "Mr. Sterling is far from mentally incompetent." In similar comments to CNN, Blecher said it was determined that Sterling had "modest mental impairment" or "a slowing down."

Shelly Sterling and her advisers initially had hoped to sell the team without using her husband's incapacitation as a reason, according to sources. However, when Donald Sterling said in his response to the NBA that he intended to fight the sale of the team, they changed course and signed an agreement to sell, citing the terms of the trust.

The rules of the trust did not require a court hearing first to declare that Donald Sterling is mentally incapacitated. That allowed Shelly Sterling to negotiate directly with Ballmer and the league to sell the team.

[key2win]

NBA approves Steve Ballmer's bid to buy Los Angeles Clippers - ESPN Los Angeles

The NBA has approved former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's $2 billion bid to buy the Los Angeles Clippers, the league said in a statement Friday night.

The sale is subject to approval from the league's owners before it can be finalized.

Tuesday's scheduled NBA Board of Governors meeting has been canceled. Shelly Sterling had pushed to negotiate a sale before the meeting, at which both of the Sterlings' ownership interests could have been terminated.

As part of the sale agreement, Shelly Sterling and the Sterling family trust have agreed not to sue the NBA and to absolve the the league of litigation by others, including Donald Sterling. There also is language in the agreement that states Ballmer will not move the team from Los Angeles, according to a source with knowledge of the deal.

Shelly's husband, Donald, filed a $1 billion lawsuit against the league earlier Friday.

Donald Sterling's attorney, Max Blecher, said he needed to review all the new information before proceeding.

"We gotta sit down and see how all of this affects us," Blecher told ESPN.com's Ramona Shelburne. "We have to think through the whole situation.

"[Shelly's] saying if you sue us, we'll have to pay out of our own money. It's like suing themselves. We have to see whether the law allows to happen."

The $2 billion price tag is the most by far for an NBA team, topping the $550 million paid for the Milwaukee Bucks earlier this year, and ranks among the richest ever for a North American professional sports franchise. Ballmer defended the amount of his bid in an interview with the Los Angeles Times on Friday, saying that he would be paying, in part, for the Clippers' potential value.

"I've got big dreams for the team," he told the Times. "I'd love to win a championship. I'd love the Clippers to be the most dynamic, vibrant team and name in professional sports."

Ballmer added: "The only way any of this makes sense -- my desire to spend time in Los Angeles, this team, its aspirations, this community, this purchase price, any of that -- is to really kind of live out the dream and make this kind of America's team."

Ballmer also confirmed to the Times that another part of the sale agreement was to recognize Shelly Sterling with a sort of "owner-emeritus" status, which would make her welcome at Clippers games. Her husband was given a lifetime ban from the NBA, in addition to a $2.5 million fine, and is not permitted to attend games.

[key2win]

Donald Sterling green-lights Los Angeles Clippers sale, attorney says - ESPN Los Angeles

Banned owner Donald Sterling has approved the sale of the Los Angeles Clippers to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and won't pursue further legal action related to the transaction, his attorney said in an email to ESPN.com's Ramona Shelburne on Wednesday.

Max Blecher said Donald Sterling had settled with wife Shelly regarding the sale and that the NBA agreed to not sue him for anything a day after Sterling, in an interview to NBC4 during a charity function, said he was ready to "move on."

"I feel fabulous, I feel very good," Sterling told NBC4 on Tuesday night when asked how he felt about his wife, Shelly, selling the team. "Everything is just the way it should be, really. It may have worked out differently, but it's good. It's all good."

Donald Sterling, who a source told ESPN.com's Shelburne that as of Wednesday night had yet to sign anything, sued the NBA on Friday seeking $1 billion in damages but will withdraw that suit, Blecher said. Commissioner Adam Silver was also named as a defendant in the lawsuit.

The source said the expectation is that Sterling will officially sign off on the sale and that his people -- Blecher included -- are encouraging him to.

"I'm OK, I'm OK," Sterling said Tuesday. "Is the NBA OK? I'm not sure about that. Is [NBA commissioner] Adam Silver OK? I'm sure he's OK."

Once the NBA approved Ballmer's bid to buy the Clippers on Friday, a hearing to determine Donald Sterling's future was canceled. Instead, the NBA Board of Governors will vote on the deal agreed upon by Shelly Sterling and Ballmer, who bid $2 billion for the team.

Donald Sterling will still be banned from the NBA for life, a source told ESPN.com.

Shelly Sterling, as part of a settlement with the league, and a condition of the sale to Ballmer, had indemnified the NBA against future legal action by her husband, essentially meaning that even if he won his lawsuit, the Sterling Family Trust -- which she controlled after he was found by neurologists to be mentally incapacitated -- would pay the damages.

The NBA has set no timetable for a vote to approve Ballmer, but he is expected to easily be accepted by three-fourths of the other 29 owners.

[key2win]

Y! SPORTS

OMG is this ever going to end. Stupid Donald Sterling. The NBA is not going to unban you. LOL!

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Los Angeles Clippers co-owner Shelly Sterling would remain close to the organization under terms of the pending sale to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, according to two individuals close to the negotiations.


Related Stories
Attorney: Donald Sterling agrees to sell Clippers The Associated Press NBA owners to vote on sale of Clippers The Associated Press AP Source: Former Microsoft CEO wins Clippers bid The Associated Press NBA owners to vote on Clippers sale, Sterling sues The Associated Press NBA to vote to approve Steve Ballmer as Clippers' new owner; cancels Sterling family termination hearing Yahoo Sports The individuals, who are not authorized to speak publicly, told The Associated Press that the $2 billion deal allows for up to 10 percent of the team - or $200 million - to be spun off into a charitable foundation that Shelly Sterling would essentially run. The deal was negotiated by Shelly Sterling after husband Donald Sterling's racist remarks to a girlfriend were publicized and the NBA moved to oust him as team owner.

One of the individuals said Shelly Sterling and Ballmer would be co-chairs of the foundation. The individuals said the foundation would target underprivileged families, battered women, minorities and inner city youths. ''To benefit those on the receiving end of Donald's rather abhorrent remarks,'' one individual said.

The idea to allow Shelly to continue some role in the team was floated early on by her attorney, Pierce O'Donnell - neither he nor Shelly Sterling responded to a request for comment - and it was enthusiastically agreed to by the NBA. ''The NBA was all over it in terms of support,'' one of the individuals said. ''It gave her a meaningful role and stake in the team, and gave the NBA 100 percent sale of the team.''

However, the NBA made clear she wouldn't be involved with the basketball franchise.

''It is not accurate that Mrs. Sterling will have a role with the Clippers or stake in the team,'' NBA spokesman Mike Bass said.

Donald Sterling's attorney, Maxwell Blecher, declined to comment.

But it's unclear if this deal will ever materialize as Donald Sterling still had not signed off on the deal's terms because the NBA would not agree to revoke its $2.5 million fine and lifetime ban, according to one of the individuals.

Sterling had agreed to sell the team Wednesday and drop his $1 billion federal lawsuit against the NBA assuming ''all their differences had been resolved.'' But now he's considering continuing the suit after being told by intermediaries the NBA won't budge on the punishments doled out by Commissioner Adam Silver after Sterling's racist comments were publicized.

Donald Sterling's consent to his wife's potentially record-breaking $2 billion deal was the first sign of an end to weeks of uncertainty. The NBA's owners must approve the deal.

Donald Sterling's comments to V. Stiviano included telling her to not bring black people to Clippers games, specifically mentioning Hall of Famer Magic Johnson. They resulted in a storm of outrage from the public and players and even prompted President Barack Obama to comment on what he called Sterling's ''incredibly offensive racist statements.''

Silver ultimately decided to ban Donald Sterling for life and began efforts to force Sterling to sell the team.

Donald Sterling's federal lawsuit alleges that the league violated his constitutional rights by relying on information from an ''illegal'' recording that publicized racist remarks he made to a girlfriend. It also said the league committed a breach of contract by fining Sterling $2.5 million and that it violated antitrust laws by trying to force a sale.

For weeks, Donald Sterling said through his attorneys that he'd fight the NBA's attempt to oust him as a team owner. But last week Shelly Sterling utilized her authority as sole trustee of The Sterling Family Trust, which owns the Clippers, to take bids for the team and ultimately negotiate a deal with Ballmer.

Under the deal Shelly Sterling would also get the title of ''owner emeritus'' and be entitled to continuing perks such as floor seats, additional seats at games and parking.

One of the individuals said the deal also includes conditions that allow Ballmer to buy back the 10 percent portion of the team for a pre-designated price upon Shelly Sterling's death.

''All the proceeds go to charity, it's not going to go to her,'' an individual said. ''She's walking away with a $2 billion check. That's enough for her.''

[key2win]

Donald Sterling decides to pursue $1 billion lawsuit against NBA after all - ESPN Los Angeles

OMG he cant make up his mind. He is going to be the first person to sue himself. LOL!

In a reversal, Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling will pursue a $1 billion federal lawsuit against the NBA and commissioner Adam Silver, and withdraw his support for the sale of the team negotiated by his wife.

"I have decided that I must fight to protect my rights," Sterling said Monday in a letter circulated widely among those involved in the sale and obtained by ESPN.com. "While my position may not be popular, I believe that my rights to privacy and the preservation of my rights to due process should not be trampled."

Sterling's attorney Max Blecher earlier told ESPN.com in an email, "The deal is off."

Blecher also suggested Donald Sterling would be challenging wife Shelly Sterling's actions and negotiation of the sale in probate court Tuesday. However, no action had been taken as of Monday night.

Last week, both Donald Sterling and Blecher indicated publicly that they would accept the record $2 billion sale to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. In an interview with NBC4 during a charity function, Sterling said he was ready to "move on."

However, Sterling has since changed course. Whether he will be successful in this new challenge remains to be seen.

"From the onset, I did not want to sell the Los Angeles Clippers," he said in the letter. "I believe that Adam Silver acted in haste by illegally ordering the forced sale of the Clippers, banning me for life from the NBA and imposing the fine. Adam Silver's conduct in doing so without conducting any real investigation was wrong.

"The action taken by Adam Silver and the NBA constitutes a violation of my rights and fly in the face of the freedoms that are afforded to all Americans."

Blecher and another Sterling attorney, Bobby Samini, declined Monday to comment on whether the NBA's refusal to drop Sterling's lifetime ban and $2.5 million fine is the impetus for his change of heart.

"There was never a discussion involving the NBA in which we would modify Mr. Sterling's penalty in any way whatsoever," NBA spokesman Mike Bass said. "Any suggestion otherwise is complete fabrication."

The lawsuit alleges the league violated Sterling's constitutional rights by relying on information from an "illegal" recording that publicized racist remarks he made to a girlfriend. It also said the league committed a breach of contract by fining Sterling and that it violated antitrust laws by trying to force a sale.

Meanwhile, Shelly Sterling, Ballmer and the league remain confident the sale will proceed.

"Nobody doubts this thing will go through in the end. I guess it's just a matter of what mood Donald wakes up in tomorrow," one source close to the situation said.

In an interview taped Sunday and released Monday, Silver told CNN that the league will be able to "take a deep breath" when the sale is complete.

"He's unsold his club several times over the years," Silver said. "There's well-noted incidents in the league when he was right there at a closing and at the last minute decided not to sell. And until he signs that document, we still have a pending litigation with him."

Shelly Sterling indemnified the NBA from damages in future lawsuits from her estranged husband as part of the sale agreement with the league. She negotiated the sale as the sole trustee of the Sterling family trust, which owns LA Clippers LLC, after two neurologists had declared Donald Sterling unable to conduct his own business and legal affairs.

The provisions of the family trust did not require a court order. To challenge her authority to conduct the sale, Donald Sterling would have to challenge her in California probate court, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.

[key2win]

Shelly Sterling's attorney seeks expedited hearing to resolve Los Angeles Clippers situation - ESPN Los Angeles

Shelly Sterling and her lawyers intend to seek an emergency order from a California probate court Wednesday morning for an expedited hearing to resolve the situation with her estranged husband, Donald Sterling, sources with knowledge of the situation told ESPN.

Shelly Sterling sold the Los Angeles Clippers to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer on May 29, without Donald Sterling's consent, after two neurologists found that he was "mentally incapacitated" and unfit to conduct his legal and business affairs.

While the guidelines of the Sterling Family Trust, which owns the Clippers, did not require a court order to make such a designation, Shelly Sterling and her lawyers now will seek one after Donald Sterling said in strongly worded statements Monday and Tuesday that "I WILL NOT SELL MY TEAM."

In public comments last week, both Donald Sterling and his attorneys indicated he would consent to the record-breaking sale. However, he has abruptly changed course this week.

"Two things happened," Sterling's longtime attorney Max Blecher told ESPN. "She decided to go for the mental incompetency to get rid of him. I think that ticked him off. And the frosting on the cupcake was [NBA commissioner Adam] Silver saying he was never going to repudiate the ban or the fines. I think Sterling [is] looking at this like, 'There's no dignity for me. I might as well fight.'

"If the league had reached out to him and said, 'Let's work something out, we can restore your dignity,' I think it's possible he would have changed his mind. But they didn't ... so he decided it wasn't worth doing the sale. He doesn't need the money. He wanted to fight for his dignity."

On Monday, Blecher had suggested Donald Sterling might challenge Shelly Sterling directly in probate court. Now, he said, Donald Sterling will respond to the motion she files Wednesday.

Blecher told ESPN that he will seek independent medical evaluations of Donald Sterling to evaluate the diagnosis and findings of the two neurologists who examined him previously.

In an interview with ESPN's Sage Steele during halftime of Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Tuesday, Silver said the NBA is essentially "on the sidelines" and standing back and allowing "this dispute between Donald and Shelly Sterling to play itself out."

"We had scheduled a hearing for our owners in which we were going to move to terminate his franchise," Silver told Steele. "We never got to that hearing because Shelly Sterling said to us, 'I'm selling the team,' and then she went and sold them the team. Donald's attorney actually sent us a letter saying he was agreeing to allow her to negotiate the sale of the franchise.

"But because we knew Donald was also suing us, we asked Shelly to indemnify us, to ensure if Donald didn't go along with the sale that she would cover us. She did. So this is really now a dispute between the Sterlings."

Neither Shelly Sterling nor Ballmer had any comment on Donald Sterling's latest assertions. Ballmer has not yet been approved by the NBA Board of Governors.

Sources with knowledge of the situation suggest that taking the matter through probate court could delay the sale process if Ballmer or the NBA is unwilling to accept Shelly Sterling's authority to act as the sole trustee and sell the team, or if they feel more comfortable waiting until all legal threats have been extinguished.

Donald Sterling filed a lawsuit against the NBA and Silver seeking $1 billion. However, as a condition of the sale, Shelly Sterling agreed to indemnify the league against those damages. Even if he were to win the lawsuit, the Sterling Family Trust would pay the damages.

Blecher said that "I think [Ballmer] told her that, that he's not going to go through with the sale unless Sterling signs off." However, sources with knowledge of the situation said the tech tycoon simply is waiting for the process to play out and has not made any definitive statements like that.

In a strongly worded statement issued by another of his lawyers, Bobby Samini, Donald Sterling does not mention any of his wife's actions and only takes exception to the NBA's move to terminate his ownership of the Clippers, his lifetime ban from the league and his $2.5 million fine in the wake of racist comments he made to his former assistant V. Stiviano that were published on TMZ on April 25.

In a statement titled "WHY I AM FIGHTING THE NBA? THE NBA WANTS TO TAKE AWAY OUR PRIVACY RIGHTS AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH," Sterling says he has "apologized for my mistakes. My apology is sincere" but "I want every American to know that I will not give up fighting for those rights."

Sterling calls the NBA, and in particular Silver, "incompetent, inexperienced and angry" and says "it is clear that they took this opportunity to settle the personal grievances they have harbored against me for years."

Asked why Sterling specifically mentions him in this latest statement, Silver told Steele, "I have no idea what he's talking about. The focus obviously shouldn't be on me or the NBA. This is about Donald Sterling and his conduct. If he wants to litigate, he'll litigate."

As he did in his initial response to the NBA's charges to terminate his ownership last month, Sterling also questions whether he is being held to a different standard than other owners.

"If the NBA is sincere about their approach, Adam Silver needs to publicly examine the NBA's own conduct and the conduct of each and every Owner," Sterling writes.

"For now, it seems Adam Silver is content with focusing his energy on violating my rights, attempting to take my property, and signing autographs for TMZ. Maybe once the dust settles, he will have some time to focus on the NBA's own transgressions."

That seems to echo Blecher's statement that Sterling has changed his mind about consenting to the sale in part because Silver refused to reconsider his lifetime.

[key2win]

July trial scheduled to determine Donald Sterling's role in sale of Los Angeles Clippers - ESPN Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES -- A trial will be held next month to determine whether Donald Sterling, who opposes his estranged wife's planned sale of the Los Angeles Clippers, was properly removed as an administrator for the family trust that owns the team.

An attorney for Shelly Sterling went to probate court Wednesday to request a trial to confirm that as sole trustee she can proceed with the $2 billion sale to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.

Her lawyer, Pierce O'Donnell, said three doctors have filed reports saying Donald Sterling lacks the mental capacity to be a trustee.

The trial, which was granted exceptionally quickly, will begin July 7 and last four days. The deadline for the sale is July 15, which is also the date the NBA Board of Governors is scheduled to vote on whether it will approve the sale.

Donald Sterling's lawyer, Bobby Samini, left the courthouse without comment after a clerk announced the trial schedule. Neither Sterling was present.

Commissioner Adam Silver, in an interview with ESPN Radio's "Mike & Mike" earlier Wednesday, said he remains confident the Clippers will be sold to Ballmer, but admitted he's worried that the process will be slowed down in the courts.

"It's like a house at closing: As long as [Shelly Sterling] can pass clear title to Steve Ballmer, then our process will continue," Silver said. "[Ballmer] will go through the usual vetting, but I don't anticipate any problems from our side. So really, it's just waiting on them. It will happen. And I think Donald ultimately knows that. He can jam up the works a little bit right now, but it's time for him to move on."

Donald Sterling said in a statement Tuesday that he's not just fighting for the Clippers but taking a stand against the NBA, which he called "a band of hypocrites and bullies" and "despicable monsters" who want "to take away our privacy rights and freedom of speech."

Donald Sterling is suing the league for $1 billion. The league has sought to ban him for life since racist remarks emerged in a recording in April.

Shelly Sterling recently brokered what would be a record-breaking $2 billion deal with Ballmer to sell the team.

Ballmer's attorney, Adam Streisand, said he was pleased with the trial schedule.

"We're extremely encouraged that the court understands the need for an expedited hearing. We're confident that after the trial the court is going to bless this transaction," Streisand said.

The aim of Shelly Sterling's court bid is to have a judge confirm provisions of The Sterling Family Trust to ensure the Ballmer sale moves forward without a hitch. Donald Sterling has the right to present his side at any hearing and appeal any decision.

His attorney Maxwell Blecher said Tuesday that a representative for Donald Sterling would be at any hearing, and that the main issue to be decided is whether Donald Sterling is mentally competent.

"There isn't the slightest evidence he's incapable of managing his affairs," Blecher said. He said the next step is to have other doctors evaluate Donald Sterling.

"I have no doubt at the end of the day the court is not going to say he's incompetent," Blecher said. "That's a very high burden in the probate court -- otherwise people would get their sisters and wife and brother-in-laws and everybody declared incompetent."

[key2win]

Donald Sterling hires 4 private investigation firms to dig into NBA - ESPN Los Angeles

Oh geez here we go again! LOL!

LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling's team of lawyers has hired four private investigation firms to dig up "dirt" on the NBA's former and current commissioners and its 29 other owners, a source confirmed to ESPN.com.

The move was earlier reported by The Associated Press, citing a person familiar with Sterling's legal strategy.

Investigators were given a six-figure budget over the next 30 days to examine the league's finances, allegations of previous discriminatory conduct and compensation to past commissioner David Stern and current commissioner Adam Silver, said the AP source, who spoke Thursday night on condition of anonymity. The person wasn't authorized to talk publicly.

The person said the investigators also are looking into whether other owners made any off-color jokes, or racist or sexist remarks.

"The gloves are off, as they say," the person said. "Have them dig up all the dirt they can find."

Sterling, 80, is suing the NBA for $1 billion in federal court after the league tried to oust him as Clippers owner for making racist remarks to a girlfriend that were recorded and publicized. Silver fined him $2.5 million and banned him for life.

The suit alleges the league violated Sterling's constitutional rights by relying on information from an "illegal" recording. It also says the league committed a breach of contract by fining Sterling and that it violated antitrust laws by trying to force a sale.

"Now his objective is to demonstrate for everybody that the NBA is a damned hypocrite," Sterling attorney Bobby Samini told ESPN.com on Wednesday. "We're going to pull every case against the NBA. Then we'll demonstrate that the culture of racism and gender discrimination is born at the NBA, where Adam Silver has worked in a high-level position for a long time."

In addition, Sterling's attorneys will face off with his estranged wife's attorneys in probate court during a four-day hearing scheduled for July.

The probate court hearing centers on whether Shelly Sterling had the right to unilaterally negotiate a $2 billion deal to sell the Clippers to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. Shelly Sterling's attorney, Pierce O'Donnell, said she made the deal as the sole administrator of the Sterling Family Trust, which owns the team, after two doctors determined her husband was mentally "incapacitated." Donald Sterling is fighting that conclusion and her authority to sell.

The person who spoke to the AP said Donald Sterling reluctantly agreed to hire private investigators after this week's legal proceedings in probate court. The NBA submitted a legal filing Wednesday urging a judge to confirm Shelly Sterling's authority to sell the team.

"He realized these guys will literally go to any low to get this sold," the person said. "Even if it gets [him] nothing other than exposing all these guys and shaking up the league and seeing a change in the leadership of the league, it'll be worth it to him."

The firms will be engaged in an "audition" of sorts, the individual said: "Whoever delivers the best [material] is going to stay on for the next round, and it might be all four of them ... 29 owners is not a small undertaking."

[key2win]

Shelly Sterling wants protective order against Donald Sterling - ESPN Los Angeles

Shelly Sterling will seek a court order of protection for her, her lawyer and witnesses such as the doctors who evaluated Donald Sterling from harassment by her estranged husband and his lawyers, sources told ESPN.com on Wednesday.

Shelly Sterling and her attorneys will appear in a Los Angeles courtroom Thursday morning, sources said, to present evidence that Donald Sterling and his lawyers have threatened, intimidated and harassed witnesses who will be called in the probate court hearing July 7-10.

That hearing was scheduled after an emergency petition to the court last week by Shelly Sterling to evaluate the actions she took to sell the Los Angeles Clippers for a record $2 billion to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.

Shelly Sterling has argued for an expeditious court ruling on her authority to sell the Clippers because the sale needs to close no later than Sept. 15 or the NBA will resume termination proceedings against Donald Sterling for racist remarks he made to former assistant V. Stiviano, which were published by TMZ.

Shelly Sterling became sole trustee of the Sterling Family Trust, which owns the Clippers, when two neurologists evaluated Donald Sterling and determined he had a form of dementia consistent with Alzheimer's disease that incapacitated him from making decisions about his business and legal affairs.

Donald Sterling has since challenged that diagnosis and her authority to sell the franchise. On June 9, his lawyers filed a motion to revoke the terms of the family trust.

According to court records obtained by ESPN.com, the purchase agreement between Ballmer and Shelly Sterling holds that either Donald Sterling must consent to the sale or a court must validate her authority to act as the sole trustee.

[key2win]

Threats from Donald Sterling to lawyer, doctors focus of wife Shelly's court filing - ESPN Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES -- Shelly Sterling's emergency motion to protect herself, her lawyers and two doctors who received hostile voice mails from her estranged husband, Donald Sterling, was denied Thursday by Judge Michael Levanas without prejudice as he did not feel the voice mails rose to a "level of great and irreparable injury."

The judge also told both sides to "tone down the pre-trial communication."

In the voice mail recordings, which were introduced into court, Donald Sterling allegedly threatened the medical licenses, jobs and livelihoods of two doctors who declared him mentally incompetent last month. Those declarations empowered Shelly Sterling to sell the Los Angeles Clippers to Steve Ballmer for $2 billion without the consent of her husband.

In a voice mail to Dr. Meril Sue Platzer on June 9, Sterling calls her "a horrible woman," and "nothing but a fraud and a liar and a cheat." He said that he is going to see that she loses her license and says he will sue her for a "large sum."

In a voice mail to Dr. James Edward Spar, also on June 9, Sterling says, "I'll show you what I think of you when I see you in court." He asserts, in a profanity-laced tirade, that he will get Spar fired from his job at UCLA.

"I'm gonna get you fired from UCLA because you're nothing but a tramp. How dare you let someone use you that way?" Sterling said. "You know, you rely on doctors. You think that they'll be above it all. But obviously you're not. You'll sell yourself for nothing. How dare you? How dare you give my records to a lawyer for the purposes of using it against me?"

Sterling also is said to have threatened Shelly Sterling's attorney Pierce O'Donnell in a call on June 9. According to O'Donnell's court statement, Sterling said he was going to "take you out, O'Donnell" and "sue everybody."

In the call with Sterling on June 9, O'Donnell said he asked Sterling why he would not consent to a sale of the team, when he and his lawyers had stated June 4 that he would. O'Donnell said Sterling responded, "Can't a guy change his mind?"

Donald Sterling's lawyer Max Blecher said Thursday of his client, "He's got a short fuse," but "that doesn't mean you're incapacitated or nuts."

Blecher said Sterling was simply angry over the situation and did not mean to threaten or intimidate anyone.

"Personally, I think it's a ploy to put us in a bad light," Blecher said. "It's all over. Nobody is in any danger."

Sterling's other lawyer, Bobby Samini, added: "I don't think they're threatening. I think they are a response to having your medical records put out on the Internet. You tell me, if that happened to you, would you pick up the phone and leave a really nice voice mail for your doctor? I'm sure you would not do that."

The court filing Thursday was a response to what Shelly Sterling and her attorneys characterize as an attempt by Donald Sterling and his lawyers to threaten, intimidate and harass witnesses who will be called in the probate court hearing July 7-10.

That hearing was scheduled after an emergency petition to the court last week by Shelly Sterling to evaluate the actions she took to sell the Clippers to Ballmer. Shelly Sterling has argued for an expeditious court ruling on her authority to sell the Clippers because the sale needs to close no later than Sept. 15 or the NBA will resume termination proceedings against Donald Sterling for racist remarks he made to former assistant V. Stiviano, which were published by TMZ.

Shelly Sterling became sole trustee of the Sterling Family Trust, which owns the Clippers, when two neurologists evaluated Donald Sterling and determined he had a form of dementia consistent with Alzheimer's disease that incapacitated him from making decisions about his business and legal affairs.

Donald Sterling has since challenged that diagnosis and Shelly Sterling's authority to sell the franchise. On June 9, his lawyers filed a motion to revoke the terms of the family trust.

"His state of mind is very sharp," said Samini, Sterling's attorney, on Thursday. "He's been undergoing his own tests from his own medical experts and I can tell you the preliminary findings are quite opposite to what you have seen so far."

According to court records obtained by ESPN.com, the purchase agreement between Ballmer and Shelly Sterling holds that either Donald Sterling must consent to the sale or a court must validate her authority to act as the sole trustee.

[key2win]

Threats from Donald Sterling to lawyer, doctors focus of wife Shelly's court filing - ESPN Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES -- Shelly Sterling's emergency motion to protect herself, her lawyers and two doctors who received hostile voice mails from her estranged husband, Donald Sterling, was denied Thursday by Judge Michael Levanas without prejudice as he did not feel the voice mails rose to a "level of great and irreparable injury."

The judge also told both sides to "tone down the pre-trial communication."

In the voice mail recordings, which were introduced into court, Donald Sterling allegedly threatened the medical licenses, jobs and livelihoods of two doctors who declared him mentally incompetent last month. Those declarations empowered Shelly Sterling to sell the Los Angeles Clippers to Steve Ballmer for $2 billion without the consent of her husband.

In a voice mail to Dr. Meril Sue Platzer on June 9, Sterling calls her "a horrible woman," and "nothing but a fraud and a liar and a cheat." He said that he is going to see that she loses her license and says he will sue her for a "large sum."

In a voice mail to Dr. James Edward Spar, also on June 9, Sterling says, "I'll show you what I think of you when I see you in court." He asserts, in a profanity-laced tirade, that he will get Spar fired from his job at UCLA.

"I'm gonna get you fired from UCLA because you're nothing but a tramp. How dare you let someone use you that way?" Sterling said. "You know, you rely on doctors. You think that they'll be above it all. But obviously you're not. You'll sell yourself for nothing. How dare you? How dare you give my records to a lawyer for the purposes of using it against me?"

Sterling also is said to have threatened Shelly Sterling's attorney Pierce O'Donnell in a call on June 9. According to O'Donnell's court statement, Sterling said he was going to "take you out, O'Donnell" and "sue everybody."

In the call with Sterling on June 9, O'Donnell said he asked Sterling why he would not consent to a sale of the team, when he and his lawyers had stated June 4 that he would. O'Donnell said Sterling responded, "Can't a guy change his mind?"

Donald Sterling's lawyer Max Blecher said Thursday of his client, "He's got a short fuse," but "that doesn't mean you're incapacitated or nuts."

Blecher said Sterling was simply angry over the situation and did not mean to threaten or intimidate anyone.

"Personally, I think it's a ploy to put us in a bad light," Blecher said. "It's all over. Nobody is in any danger."

Sterling's other lawyer, Bobby Samini, added: "I don't think they're threatening. I think they are a response to having your medical records put out on the Internet. You tell me, if that happened to you, would you pick up the phone and leave a really nice voice mail for your doctor? I'm sure you would not do that."

The court filing Thursday was a response to what Shelly Sterling and her attorneys characterize as an attempt by Donald Sterling and his lawyers to threaten, intimidate and harass witnesses who will be called in the probate court hearing July 7-10.

That hearing was scheduled after an emergency petition to the court last week by Shelly Sterling to evaluate the actions she took to sell the Clippers to Ballmer. Shelly Sterling has argued for an expeditious court ruling on her authority to sell the Clippers because the sale needs to close no later than Sept. 15 or the NBA will resume termination proceedings against Donald Sterling for racist remarks he made to former assistant V. Stiviano, which were published by TMZ.

Shelly Sterling became sole trustee of the Sterling Family Trust, which owns the Clippers, when two neurologists evaluated Donald Sterling and determined he had a form of dementia consistent with Alzheimer's disease that incapacitated him from making decisions about his business and legal affairs.

Donald Sterling has since challenged that diagnosis and Shelly Sterling's authority to sell the franchise. On June 9, his lawyers filed a motion to revoke the terms of the family trust.

"His state of mind is very sharp," said Samini, Sterling's attorney, on Thursday. "He's been undergoing his own tests from his own medical experts and I can tell you the preliminary findings are quite opposite to what you have seen so far."

According to court records obtained by ESPN.com, the purchase agreement between Ballmer and Shelly Sterling holds that either Donald Sterling must consent to the sale or a court must validate her authority to act as the sole trustee.

[key2win]

Donald Sterling's lawyer hopes trial delayed for expert witness - ESPN Los Angeles

Donald Sterling's lawyer has asked that the start of the trial that will decide whether to approve the $2 billion sale of the Los Angeles Clippers to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer be postponed so that he can bring in a neurologist who will tell the judge Sterling is not mentally incapacitated.

Bobby Samini told ESPN as he left the courthouse Monday he hoped the trial would be delayed until late July to accommodate their expert witness.

"The reason the doctor is important is he's probably one of the top in his field, and this is a pretty serious situation," Samini told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne. "We'd like to make sure we have our expert of choice."

The NBA Board of Governors is set to meet July 15. A delay in the trial would keep them from voting to approve Ballmer as owner of the Clippers.

In court documents, Sterling states Dr. Jeffrey Cummings, Director of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, will vouch for him but will be out of town and unable to testify in court until after July 20.

The court filing asserts that if Sterling is not allowed to use Cummings to prove his mental competency, he will risk "grave and irreparable injury insofar as his defense will be impaired and his assets will be subject to distribution without his consent."

Samini also said the lawyers discussed whether Ballmer, who has agreed to buy the Clippers for $2 billion, had a right to be present during the trail.

Shelly Sterling, Donald's estranged wife, became sole trustee of the Sterling Family Trust, which owns the Clippers, when two neurologists evaluated Donald Sterling and determined he had a form of dementia consistent with Alzheimer's disease that incapacitated him from making decisions about his business and legal affairs.

Donald Sterling has since challenged that diagnosis and Shelly Sterling's authority to sell the franchise. On June 9, his lawyers filed a motion to revoke the terms of the family trust.

"His state of mind is very sharp," said Samini, Sterling's attorney, last week. "He's been undergoing his own tests from his own medical experts and I can tell you the preliminary findings are quite opposite to what you have seen so far."

According to court records obtained by ESPN.com, the purchase agreement between Ballmer and Shelly Sterling holds that either Donald Sterling must consent to the sale or a court must validate her authority to act as the sole trustee.

On Monday the judge also asked lawyers for more legal documents arguing their points before he decides whether to approve the $2 billion sale. The judge said the Sterling Family Trust does not allow the mercurial billionaire to contest medical findings which are sufficient to remove him as a trustee. But he agreed to consider arguments at a hearing June 30 before a scheduled July 7 trial.