The jury of NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will announce its findings in the Donald Sterling controversy Tuesday.
The league has scheduled a 2 p.m. press conference in midtown Manhattan, where Silver will reveal what actions are necessary against the Clippers owner who is at the center of a horrific racial controversy. Sterling is alleged to be the man on audiotapes first posted by TMZ telling his girlfriend not to bring black people “to my games.”
No one can know what sanctions Silver will impose on Sterling, 80, but an indefinite suspension seems a probable next step while the investigation continues. Silver referred to the “broad” powers of the commissioner’s office Saturday when he first addressed the controversy.
A suspension would bar Sterling from games or team functions. A fine is also a distinct possibility and Silver could levy a hit up to $1 million without getting the approval of other owners.
“The first and most obvious option is he could suspend him as an owner from the league for either a definite period or an indefinite period,” said sports attorney Jeffrey Kessler, a partner at Winston and Strawn LLP. “If you want a precedent, look at what Major League Baseball did with Marge Schott.”
Schott was twice suspended by MLB for racially offensive remarks in the 1990s and eventually forced to sell a majority of her interest in the Cincinnati Reds.
Kessler also referred to MLB’s lifetime ban on Yankees owner George Steinbrenner for his involvement with Howie Spira, an alleged gambler whom Steinbrenner hired to try to discredit Dave Winfield. Steinbrenner later was reinstated.
Under severe circumstances, such as fraud or gambling, an owner can be stripped of his NBA team with a three-quarters vote of the other owners. Asked if that were possible in this case, Kessler said, “I wouldn’t rule anything out,” but stressed there is no way of knowing or speculating until Silver reveals his decree.
“I can’t speak for the league as to how broad they think their powers are,” said Kessler, who has represented the NBA players union. “I know that the league claims it has extremely broad powers under the constitution and bylaws. And the suspension authority is very well established, as is his fining authority.”
Meanwhile, the Clippers lost sponsorships from several major corporations, including CarMax, Mercedes-Benz and Virgin Atlantic Airlines. Yahoo!Sports reported Clippers players planned an elaborate protest at Game 5 of their playoff series Tuesday at Staples Center. Coach Doc Rivers, who declined an opportunity to speak with Sterling in the wake of the crisis, is trying to shelter his players, who he said “didn’t sign on for this.” Rivers canceled practice Monday to let them “breathe.”
On Sunday, the Clippers staged a silent protest, throwing their warm-up jackets as a group on the center of the court before the game in Oakland. They then wore their warm-up shirts inside out, hiding the Clippers logo. Similar moves were repeated Monday night by the Heat before their game with Charlotte. The Blazers wore black socks in their game with Houston on Sunday in protest.
Warriors coach Mark Jackson said on a conference call Monday that fans should boycott Game 5 at Staples Center. Rivers disagreed.
“Mark has a right to his opinion. He’s speaking from his heart and his emotion,” Rivers said, indicating he wants a full house — “I hope it’s packed.” Whatever the fans do, he hopes they do it “as one.”
Former Clippers players and coaches with Nets and Knicks ties addressed the controversy.
“When I heard [the tape], I was shocked at the content and that he was in the situation of being taped. But I wasn’t surprised,” said Charles Smith, a former Knick and the CEO of the Professional Basketball Alumni Association. “The guy did dance to his own beat. He had no one to answer to. He’s a lot like Dennis Rodman from the standpoint he does whatever he wants.”
Keyon Dooling, a former Net, and like Smith an ex-Clipper, saw some good in the situation.
“I’m outraged but I’m also appreciative. Any time there is outrage, action has to follow,” said Dooling, a former member of the players union board. “The first action is we have to start the dialogue that there is thinking like this on such a high level that can impact communities, economically, socially. And that’s the scariest part to me. That his friends and his culture feel the way it has always been historically is the way it should be.”
Don Casey, who coached both the Nets and the Clippers, said he saw no overt evidence of racism from Sterling but reminded he last worked for Sterling in 1989 after 7 ¹/₂ years.
“I do think he has a quirk of elitism, where he thinks other people are inferior in his mind, thought and body. It’s a diagnosis that has to be done by somebody. It’s psychotic, bizarre. I am not shocked, but a little surprised,” Casey said. “I’d hate to think what he’d say about the Boston Irish. The more you listen to it, the more demented it is.”
Smith said Sterling ran his team like it was a piece of real estate. Profit was all that mattered.
“We were the last ones to have a charter plane. Other teams had newer arenas. We’d wake up in the morning waiting for a phone call to see where we were practicing,” Smith said, claiming he has faith that Silver will make the proper call.
“I know Adam. He has the feel, the emotional feel to deal with this,” Smith said. “But this is a very difficult decision and a very difficult process to get to this decision.”
After a lengthy conference call, Rivers later issued a statement on the Clippers website reiterating “how disappointed I am in the comments attributed” to Sterling and asked for fan support.
Staples Center executives also released a statement saying they were “deeply troubled by these disturbing remarks which go against everything we believe in as an organization ” and promised a “safe, secure and welcoming environment” for Tuesday’s game.