The NBA took the next step in what league commissioner Adam Silver hopes will be the beginning of the end of Clippers owner Donald Sterling’s NBA tenure. On Thursday, the 10-member NBA Board of Governors’ advisory-finance committee held a conference call to discuss the process of terminating Sterling’s ownership of the Clippers franchise. “The committee unanimously agreed to move forward as expeditiously as possible and will reconvene next week,” NBA executive vice president Mike Bass said in a statement. The unanimous show of support for Silver’s lifetime ban doled out on Tuesday, “seemed to indicate a strong base of support among Sterling’s fellow owners for his removal,” Reuters reports.
To oust Sterling, according to Reuters, “would require a three-fourths majority vote under the league’s constitution and bylaws. If approved, the board could then go further still and vote to seize ownership of the team for the NBA itself to sell, cutting Sterling out of the negotiations.” For that process to begin, according to the league’s constitution and bylaws, the Associated Press reports, “Silver or an owner would have to file a written charge against Sterling, who would have five days to respond. Silver would then call a hearing of the board of governors, which would vote after hearing the evidence against Sterling.” There are indications, however, that Sterling may not go quietly and take the league to court.
Here are the members of the committee who took part in the vote on Thursday, via CBS Sports:
The committee is comprised of Minnesota Timberwolves’ owner Glen Taylor, Miami Heat owner Micky Arison, Los Angeles Lakers’ part owner and business operations’ president Jeanie Buss, Oklahoma City Thunder owner Clay Bennett, New York Knicks’ owner James Dolan, Boston Celtics’ owner Wyc Grousbeck, San Antonio Spurs’ owner Peter Holt, Phoenix Suns’ owner Robert Sarver, Indiana Pacers’ owner Herb Simon, and chairman of Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment Larry Tanenbaum. MLSE owns the Toronto Raptors.
