Ballin'

*Former CEO Steve Ballmer

All of the involved parties (NBA, Sterling, Ballmer, etc) lawyers are already shopping for islands. I still think it will turn into a protracted legal battle.

The Clippers had been the laughing stock of the NBA for a long time, I don't know when their franchise became so valuable. I know they got Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, but damn 2 billion.

It's all about being in the world's entertainment capital. TV/media contracts (think YES network, etc.) are what is driving the value of pro sports teams through the roof. Basically any MLB or NBA franchise in a major market will be worth billions.

It will ultimately be a great pay day for Sterling, but I think he may go the litigious route and die before reaping the full financial rewards.

Ballmer could get better returns in other investments, but I think he has reached the point in his life where he is looking for more fame than improving his IRR.

@Motörhead - Word up! The Outlook for the team is bright, I expect them to Excel eventually, tho it may be a long term Project - all depends on their Power (forward)-Point (guard) combination.

^^ lol

I guess professional sports teams have become a real life X-Box game for the Microsoft nerds.

Paul Allen owns the Portland Trailblazers and the Seatlle Seahawks.

With his Access to large amounts of Money he could develop a good team.

Maybe Bob could be the assistant coach

(Sorry, but hard to work "Encarta" into a sentence)

I am still seeing this becoming a long legal battle too. I could see Don Sterling just throwing a big FUCK YOU to the rest of the NBA and drawing all of this out in the legal system and right when everything shows he is going to win.....then sell the team. HAHA... And Ballmer should love if this happens.... What better marketing and free press with your teams name on ESPN and other news outlets every week.... DURING THE OFF SEASON... HAHA.

Ballmer was born in Detroit, raised in Farmington Hills

@jester - perhaps not

Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling does not have the authority to stop a $2 billion sale of his team because he has been determined to be mentally unfit to make decisions related to the family trust, a person familiar with the situation told USA TODAY Sports.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba…

They'll have to keep stating all over again, IE: reboot/reset.

Are any Windows of opportunity for a title opening next season?

Next year the 3-point line is going to be changed to 3.1

Will former Detroit Piston Dave Bing be the new coach?

Then again, maybe so...

After being forced to relinquish control of the Los Angeles Clippers, embattled owner Donald Sterling filed a lawsuit Friday seeking $1 billion in damages from the NBA.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/sports/donal…

On the other hand...

On the surface, Shelly Sterling, on behalf of herself and the trust, indemnifying the NBA is a major legal victory for the league. It means that if Donald Sterling's lawsuit against the NBA succeeds, Shelly Sterling and the trust would reimburse the NBA for all costs.

If the Sterling family trust and Shelly Sterling pay the NBA $1 billion, Donald Sterling would effectively be paying half of the amount owed to himself. This arrangement is an obvious deterrent to Donald Sterling to wage a lengthy battle against the NBA.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nba/new…