Donald Sterling Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Clippers Rumors: Free Agency, Rivers, Sterling

May 12th, 2014 at 10:22am CST by Chuck Myron

A prominent agent told Sean Deveney of The Sporting News that he has clients who don’t intend to sign with the Clippers this summer unless Donald Sterling is “gone completely.” That indicates the Sterling saga will indeed have an effect on free agency, as there’s almost no chance the situation will be resolved by July, as Deveney points out.

“I don’t think the whole thing winds up with Sterling back in charge, that is just hard to imagine,” another agent told Deveney. “There’s the chance, though. There’s a chance you wind up working for Sterling. That’s the problem.”

Here’s more from a team that fought off the Thunder and a media circus to overcome a 22-point deficit in Sunday’s win:

People around the league feel as though Doc Rivers won’t leave the Clippers even if the league hasn’t completely severed its ties with Sterling by this summer, Deveney writes in the same piece. Rivers hasn’t said definitively that he’ll return to the team for next season after raising questions about his future shortly after the Sterling fiasco began.
The league believes it can strip Shelly Sterling’s ownership of the team when it does so with her husband, as we passed along last night, though Shelly Sterling intends to fight that interpretation, as she told ABC’s Barbara Walters. “To be honest with you, I’m wondering if a wife of one of the owners, and there’s 30 owners, did something like that, said those racial slurs, would they oust the husband?” Shelly Sterling said. “Or would they leave the husband in?”
Pierce O’Donnell, the attorney for Shelly Sterling, cited the U.S. Constitution in his rebuttal to the league’s contention that it can take the team from her. Legal experts have emphasized to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News that the Constitution doesn’t apply to businesses like the NBA, and lawyers make it clear that such a defense is flimsy, Medina adds (Twitter links).
Shelly Sterling also told Walters that she’s been speaking to attorneys for the last 20 years about a divorce, which could further complicate the league’s efforts to remove the Sterlings.
Donald Sterling attempted to explain his racially charged remarks and asked the league’s forgiveness in an interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper.

And-Ones: Sterling, Cavs, Brown, Rockets

May 11th, 2014 at 10:36pm CST by Zachary Links

Donald Sterling’s sit down with Anderson Cooper airs on CNN tomorrow night, but Charles Barkley won’t be among those watching. “We got to work tomorrow night so we don’t have to watch that junk,” the Hall of Famer told his Inside The NBA cohorts as they came back from commercial, as noted by Nina Mandell of USA Today. Here’s tonight’s look around the league..

LeBron James and other NBA players are concerned about Shelly Sterling taking control of the Clippers, but a statement released this evening by NBA spokesman Mike Bass could put those worries to bed. “Under the NBA Constitution, if a controlling owner’s interest is terminated by a 3/4 vote, all other team owners’ interests are automatically terminated as well. It doesn’t matter whether the owners are related as is the case here. These are the rules to which all NBA owners agreed to as a condition of owning their team,” the statement read (Howard Beck of Bleacher Report on Twitter).
Shelly Sterling’s attorney released a statement of his own to reporters, including Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com (on Twitter).
Sources tell Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio that Cavs owner Dan Gilbert will support whatever decision the team’s next GM makes regarding Mike Brown. So, it appears the coach’s fate is in the hands of David Griffin, who’s expected to have the interim tag removed from his GM title soon. People around the league are split on whether Griffin would retain Brown, according to Amico.
Kostas Papanikolaou, whose NBA rights are owned by the Rockets, says he’s in no rush to make the leap over. “Nothing changed in my thoughts about the NBA. If I get a good chance, I will go. However, I am new in this team [FC Barcelona Regal], they have treated me with respect and I only think about Barcelona. A team that helps me evolve my game and be better. So, I don’t know what will happen, if I will end up in the NBA this summer or the next one,” the Euroleague standout told Nikos Varlas of Eurohoops.net.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

And-Ones: Kerr, Sterling, Hawks, Griffin

May 10th, 2014 at 2:32pm CST by Charlie Adams

Although Steve Kerr has never coached before, Keith Schlosser of Knicks Journal opines he possesses the necessary traits to effectively run an NBA club. Still, it remains to be seen whether those traits can translate into effective results, says Schlosser. Here’s this afternoon’s look around the Association:

The Heat‘s James Jones, an executive for the NBA Player’s Association, says that it wouldn’t be acceptable for Shelly Sterling to retain ownership of the Clippers, writes Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel. “That’s our stance, and it hasn’t changed, and it won’t,” said Jones.
John Branch of the New York Times examines the scenario that led to Donald Sterling purchasing the Clippers and chronicles the now banned owner’s tenure as boss in Los Angeles.
Some soon-to-be free agents have shown fondness for the Hawks roster and are intrigued at the prospect of playing with Jeff Teague, Al Horford, and Paul Millsap, making Atlanta an appealing destination, tweets Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio.
The Cavs named David Griffin “acting” GM on Februrary 6th, and Terry Pluto of the Plain Dealer thinks it’s time the team officially offers him the role of full-time general manager.

Clippers/Sterling Rumors: Thursday

May 8th, 2014 at 9:18pm CST by Chuck Myron

Commissioner Adam Silver could scarcely have been more resolute in his press conference last week to ban Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life, but It doesn’t appear as though final resolution to the saga will be so straightforward. Here’s more on the battle for the Clippers involving Sterling and wife Shelly Sterling.

Shelly Sterling does not want to become the managing owner of the Clippers, but is hoping to maintain her 50% share and passive role while a new buyer replaces her husband’s active role, a person close to her camp tells Brent Schrotenboer of USA Today.
Schrotenboer’s source said that Sterling is in talks with the league, but didn’t give an indication of whether the NBA is agreeable to such a scenario.
Sterling’s attorney released a two page statement further detailing Sterling’s claim of rights to continue owning the team, per Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Twitter link).
In the statement, the attorney denied that legal proceedings from Shelly Sterling’s past are fair grounds on which to judge the co-owner, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com passes on (Twitter links).

Earlier updates:

The Sterling family trust in control of the Clippers indeed lays out a 50-50 ownership split between Donald and Shelly Sterling, Medina tweets.
Rivers reiterated that it wouldn’t be ideal for Shelly Sterling to own the team going forward, as Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News notes (Twitter links). “That would be a difficult situation for everybody because of the relationship,” Rivers said. “I guarantee every person wouldn’t be on board with that. Whether I would or not, I’m not going to say.”
Shelly Sterling’s lawyer tells Tami Abdollah of The Associated Press that she “will not agree to a forced or involuntary seizure of her interest” in the team, which is a 50% share, Abdollah writes. Attorney Pierce O’Donnell said Shelly Sterling is considering divorce from Donald Sterling, and he claims they’ve been separated for the past year. O’Donnell also said that Shelly Sterling “abhors” her husband’s racial comments and believes that Silver “exonerated” her last week when he said that no decision had been made regarding any claim to ownership from the family of Donald Sterling. O’Donnell added that he spoke with the NBA on Thursday, and that Shelly Sterling still plans to attend Friday’s game against the Thunder.
A recording of a phone conversation allegedly involving Donald Sterling gives further indication that he’ll fight the NBA’s efforts to strip him of Clippers ownership, as Dylan Howard and Melissa Cronin of RadarOnline.com report. Howard and Cronin claim possession of an affidavit confirming that Sterling was part of the conversation. “You can’t force someone to sell property in America!” Sterling is to have said, according to the report. “I’m a lawyer, that’s my opinion.”
Doc Rivers and the Clippers had no indication that Shelly Sterling would try to keep the team, tweets Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com. Markazi points to a comment Rivers made last week in which the coach asserted that it didn’t sound as if she could own the team going forward and that “I think she knows that,” Rivers said. (Twitter link).
Shelly Sterling asked Rivers’ permission to attend Game 5 against the Warriors, then attended Game 7 against the team’s wishes, Markazi points out, adding that the team wants nothing to do with her as “co-owner” of the club (Twitter links). Rivers and other Clippers department heads are jointly running the team in the absence of president Andy Roeser, who’s on indefinite leave, while the NBA searches for a new CEO.
We passed along the latest on Shelly Sterling’s push to control the Clippers earlier today.

Shelly Sterling Muddles NBA’s Plan For Clippers

May 8th, 2014 at 8:59am CST by Chuck Myron

Shelly Sterling’s desire to control of the Clippers in the wake of her husband’s lifetime ban is a “wild card” for the NBA, a league official tells James Rainey, Mike Bresnahan and Nathan Fenno of the Los Angeles Times. The NBA apparently didn’t consider that she would attempt to hold on to ownership of the team when it meted out its punishment to Donald Sterling last week.

Shelly Sterling believes she’s legally entitled to the team, and doesn’t think her husband’s ban applies to her or her family, according to Rainey, Bresnahan and Fenno. Her stance could pose a serious problem, as union vice president Roger Mason Jr. said last week that he expected that ownership of the team would wind up outside the Sterling family. Still, commissioner Adam Silver said during his announcement regarding Donald Sterling last week that no decision had been made regarding his family, the Times points out.

“This ruling applies specifically to Donald Sterling and Donald Sterling’s conduct only,” Silver said.

Ownership of the team is held in a Sterling family trust, and sources tell the Times that Shelly Sterling has equal ownership with her husband. Each takes control if the other dies, and Donald Sterling, who’s 80 years old, is reportedly suffering from cancer. The matter becomes further complicated if the Sterlings divorce, as Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com writes, and Shelly Sterling referred to Donald Sterling as her “estranged” husband in a recent statement. Still, Rainey, Bresnahan and Fenno heard from an analyst who said that Shelly Sterling may require Board of Governors approval to take control of the team in any circumstance.

A source said to the Times that the league asked her not to attend this weekend’s games against Oklahoma City in L.A., as she’s planned, but Shelly Sterling’s attorney denies that. Her attorney also denied that she made racially charged statements to tenants and real estate employees as alleged in legal depositions related to a pair of lawsuits against Donald Sterling.

A friend of Shelly Sterling’s spoke with Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times and referred to her as a “victim” in the saga regarding her husband (Twitter link). That appears to be the mindset in Shelly’s camp as she readies for a fight to hang on to a Clippers franchise she believes is hers, Pincus says.

Western Notes: Draft, Clippers, Warriors

May 7th, 2014 at 9:53pm CST by Eddie Scarito

With the 2014 NBA Draft approaching, college coaches and player agents are relieved that Clippers owner Donald Sterling received a lifetime ban, writes Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv. A number of coaches Zagoria spoke to said there wouldn’t be an issue for any players the Clippers draft now that Sterling is gone.

Pacific Rumors: Sterling, Jackson, Kings

May 7th, 2014 at 3:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

Shelly Sterling, wife of banned Clippers owner Donald Sterling, caught the NBA by surprise Tuesday, issuing a statement through a law firm, as Mike Bresnahan, Broderick Turner and David Wharton of the Los Angeles Times detail. The statement asserts that she’s working with the league in its search for a new Clippers CEO and refers to Shelly Sterling as co-owner of the Clippers. Sources have told Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com that she’s informed the league that she wants to keep the team, as fellow ESPN.com scribe Darren Rovell writes. For now, Doc Rivers and other team department heads are jointly in charge of the team, while the NBA’s Advisory/Finance Committee continues to search for a Clippers CEO and work toward Donald Sterling’s ouster, the league announced. Here’s more from a tumultuous Pacific Division:

Former Warriors coach Mark Jackson made the media rounds today, appearing on SiriusXM NBA Radio, 95.7 The Game in the Bay Area, and The Dan Patrick Show. Jackson said co-owner Joe Lacob’s expectation of a top-four finish in the Western Conference was unrealistic, notes Diamond Leung of the Bay Area News Group, and the coach is upset about media reports that he believes the team leaked during their meeting on Tuesday (Twitter links).
Jackson also rejected the notion that his religion was an issue, suggesting the Warriors used the idea to gin up positive PR for the team, as Ethan Sherwood Strauss of ESPN.com observes. “I think it’s unfortunate because if it was true, you don’t encourage media to come do a piece on my church, on my ministry, the work on my faith,” Jackson said. “Don’t do it when it’s convenient and you’re searching for something. I never went around beating people in the head with a Bible.”
Jackson also said that living in Southern California instead of the Bay Area didn’t get in the way of his job and denied that he had a falling out with assistant GM Kirk Lacob, Strauss notes in the same piece.
Kings GM Pete D’Alessandro Identified shooting and playmaking as offseason needs and expressed openness to the idea of moving DeMarcus Cousins to power forward. D’Alessandro made his comments in a Reddit AMA chat with fans Tuesday, and Kings.com provides a partial transcription.

And-Ones: Sterling, Stackhouse, Warriors, Jazz

May 6th, 2014 at 10:27pm CST by Charlie Adams

The NBA’s legal strategy for ousting Donald Sterling has been revealed, writes Darren Rovell of ESPN.com. According to Rovell, the NBA constitution states that grounds exist to remove any owner that “fail(s) or refuse(s) to fulfill its contractual obligations to the Association.” Among other “morals clauses,” Sterling has signed a document stating he would not “take any position or action that will materially and adversely affect a team or the league,” says Rovell. There’s still expectation that Sterling or his wife will fight the NBA in court, but the league at least has a starting point for Sterling’s removal. Here’s tonight’s look around the NBA:

The Knicks will interview Jerry Stackhouse for a position within the organization, reports Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. It’s not entirely clear what position Stackhouse will interview for, but he expressed interest in coaching at some capacity. It seems highly unlikely his interview would be for anything more than an assistant position, given New York’s strong pursuit of Steve Kerr.
Many around the league think that if the Pacers lose to the Wizards and Roy Hibbert continues to struggle, Pacers president of basketball operations Larry Bird will “do everything he can” to trade the All-Star center, according to ESPN’s Chris Broussard. Broussard made his comments on the Mike & Mike Show (Audio link).
The Jazz will work out draft prospects Taylor Braun, Akil Mitchell, Bryce Cotton, Mike Moser, Stephen Holt, and Ronald Roberts Jr, the team announced (via Twitter).
James Nunnally has signed a contract to play for the Cangrejeros de Santurce in Puerto Rico, the team announced (hat tip to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando). Nunnally spent most of 2013/14 in the D-League but did see NBA action on 10-day deals with the Hawks and Sixers.
Each member of Mark Jackson‘s coaching staff has been relieved of their duties, the Warriors announced (hat tip to Diamond Leung of Bay Area News).
The decision to fire Jackson means that Warriors‘ management will face pressure to win big next season in order to prove they made the right call, opines Tim Kawakami of Mercury News.
In his latest Insider piece, Chad Ford of ESPN.com ranks the top point guard prospects in the 2014 draft. To no surprise, Dante Exum sits atop his list. Hoops Rumors’ Zach Links recently profiled the Australian slasher.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

And-Ones: Lowry, Noah, Warriors, Celtics

May 4th, 2014 at 10:43pm CST by Zachary Links

Shortly after losing to the Nets in Game 7, Raptors guard Kyle Lowry gave a quote in the locker room that could be a hint towards his offseason plans. “This is only the start for us and the Raptors organization,” said the soon-to-be unrestricted free agent, according to Josh Lewenberg of TSN (on Twitter). Here’s tonight’s look around the Association..

Joakim Noah is reportedly trying to recruit Carmelo Anthony to the Bulls and he’s no stranger to that game, notes Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. The big man took free agent Carlos Boozer out to dinner during his visit to Chicago and helped lure him in during the 2010 offseason.
Determining coach Mark Jackson‘s future with the Warriors won’t be an easy call, writes Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News.
In his final individual report card for the Celtics‘ season, Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com. evaluates the players that didn’t end the season in green and white: Jordan Crawford, Courtney Lee, Keith Bogans, MarShon Brooks, and Vander Blue.
Sports Illustrated legal analyst Michael McCann told colleague Chris Mannix (on Twitter) that if Clippers owner Donald Sterling files a lawsuit, “it will not be resolved by the start of the season.”

Clippers Notes: Sterling, Redick, Rivers

May 4th, 2014 at 4:51pm CST by Zachary Links

The Clippers may not be Los Angeles’ team, but it feels like they’re becoming America’s Team, writes Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com. The Clippers’ 126-121 win over the Warriors on Saturday night drew 6.0 million viewers, which was TNT’s most-viewed NBA first-round telecast since the Lakers played the Nuggets in 2012. The high ratings are expected to continue next week when the Clippers take on the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals. More out of L.A..

Embattled Clippers owner Donald Sterling has a long history of discrimination and J.J. Redick shared a tale of his own last night, writes Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. The guard heard over the offseason that despite interest from Doc Rivers and the rest of the front office, Sterling fought against signing him. “I’ve been told both ways,” Redick said. “One, that he didn’t want to spend because I was white and the other he [didn’t] want to pay me because he thought I was a bench player. I was told both things.”
After a tiring and emotional week, Rivers is glad to have come out on top in the first round matchup against the Warriors, writes Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports. Rivers conceded that instead of preparing for Golden State, much of his time was spent talking with commissioner Adam Silver, NBPA liason Kevin Johnson, and even Sterling’s wife Shelly.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti told CBS’ “Face The Nation” that he expects Sterling to put up a “long, protracted fight” to retain ownership of the Clippers, writes Bill Trott of Reuters. A three-fourths vote by the board of governors would be required to force the sale of the team, but all signs point to Sterling battling it out in court.