Donald Sterling officially lost his battle to block the sale of the Los Angeles Clippers Monday after an L.A. Superior Court judge ruled in favor of Shelly Sterling’s sale to Steve Ballmer for $2 billion.
Shelly took over the team’s trust after doctors determined Donald had shown signs of Alzheimer’s Disease and was therefore too mentally incapacitated to run the team effectively — all of this coming of course after Sterling was booted from the NBA because of his racists remarks made to his girlfriend in private.
It now appears all of this mess — at least in the public forum — is over.
And let’s be clear, Sterling isn’t getting a raw deal here. He just sold his team — a team he paid $12 million for in 1981 — for $2 billion.
In allowing the deal to go forward, Superior Court Judge Michael Levanas sided Monday with Sterling’s estranged wife, Shelly Sterling, who negotiated the record sale after the NBA banned the 80-year-old billionaire for making offensive remarks about blacks. Shelly Sterling sought the probate judge’s approval to ink the deal after taking over the family trust that owns the team because doctors found Donald Sterling had signs of Alzheimer’s disease and couldn’t manage his affairs.
The judge said Shelly Sterling had negotiated a good deal and the removal of her husband as a co-trustee was in good faith and not part of a secret plan to seize the team.
Shelly Sterling hugged her lawyer and wept after the judge explained his ruling from the bench.
“I can’t believe it’s over,” she said. “This is the best thing.”
An unusual provision of the ruling bars Donald Sterling from seeking a court-ordered delay of the sale as he appeals. His lawyers plan to seek permission from an appellate court to file an appeal.
Until Chris Paul came over from New Orleans — and only because the NBA blocked an initial trade that would have sent him to the Lakers — in 2011, the Los Angeles Clippers had been the most futile club in professional sports. In no way, shape or form would they had been worth $2 billion if a little luck hadn’t fallen on the franchise’s shoulders. Donald is making out like a bandit, regardless of his ban and bigotry.
Josh Helmuth is the editor of CraveOnline Sports.
Photo Credit: Getty (Shelly Sterling hugging lawer after victory Monday)
