OAKLAND, Calif. — It appears the rest of the NBA can’t get rid of soon-to-be-former Clippers owner Donald Sterling fast enough.
An NBA owners’ committee held a conference call Thursday and unanimously agreed to “expeditiously” move forward in the process of Sterling’s ouster following his lifetime ban by NBA commissioner Adam Silver for his racist rant that became public last weekend.
“This afternoon the Advisory/Finance Committee met via conference call to discuss the process for termination of Donald T. Sterling’s ownership of the Los Angeles Clippers. The Committee unanimously agreed to move forward as expeditiously as possible and will reconvene next week,” according to a statement released by Mike Bass, NBA executive vice president of communications.
“No reaction. I mean, you’re not surprised by that. That’s good for them,” said Clippers coach Doc Rivers, who became the face of the team in the wake of Sterling’s comments being revealed and who has yet to talk to his boss since the scandal broke. “I think there is a lot of work to be done in that area, and I’m just going to try to stay out of that area.”
With universal condemnation and anger following the posting by TMZ of Sterling’s remarks, Silver acted swiftly and forcefully.
On Tuesday, he smacked Sterling with a lifetime ban and a $2.5 million fine. Silver also promised he would urge other owners to force him to sell the team. Sterling, according to a source advising him, wants to fight the move.