Latest On Donald Sterling, Clippers

ESPN.com legal analyst Lester Munson is one of the few who’s been given access to the NBA’s constitution, and he interprets the document to give commissioner Adam Silver the power to force Donald Sterling out with the consent of three-fourths of the other owners. Munson appears to suggest that it would require the termination of the Clippers franchise, noting that it would be a drastic step. Still, Munson asserts that Sterling would have no effective legal recourse to appeal the NBA’s decision, so the NBA has leverage if the league wants him out at all costs, Munson believes.  More out of L.A..

  • Team player reps will have a conference call tonight to discuss Sterling, tweets Dwain Price of the Star-Telegram.
  • Two-thirds of the league’s owners would be required to start the process to remove Sterling as an owner and 15 owners have already gone on the record blasting him, notes Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders (on Twitter).
  • It’s time for the NBA to bounce Sterling, opines David Aldridge of NBA.com.  The handling of this situation will shape Silver’s legacy, even though he’s only a couple of months into his tenure.  Aldridge goes on to tell the story of his first interaction with the Clippers owner and while it’s unsettling, it’s consistent with what we heard from the leaked audio.
  • Where does the league go from here?  Ken Berger of CBSSports.com has a question and answer session to explain how things might play out.
  • Head coach Doc Rivers released a statement this evening that was published on the Clippers’ website.  Several team execs and owners followed suit and released statements of their own before the tip of tonight’s game between the Clippers and Warriors.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

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