Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling has agreed to sign over the team to his wife Shelly Sterling. He does so because he was banned from the NBA for life this past April after making racist remarks caught on audio. This sign off if approved by the NBA would allow his wife Shelly to negotiate with the league the selling of the team.
According to ESPN, the only way the NBA would accept a sign off is if Shelly Sterling were to sell the team in its totality. She does have 50 percent interest in the Clippers already, which she does not want to relinquish just yet.
She has been fighting tooth and nail with the NBA ever since her husband has been banned for life to keep her share of the team. However, the NBA does not want Shelly or Donald Sterling to be apart of the league anymore.
The NBA also said Donald Sterling has involved himself with other forms of misconduct that has hurt his reputation with Clippers fans, reported by ABC News. Also, merchandising partners have shied away from the team in light of this off the court saga.
Signing off the team to his wife would only be for a short-term issue if the NBA has their way. The global sport is looking to do as much damage control as possible. The faster the Clippers are out of the Sterling’s control, the better for basketball to move on from this issue.