TMZ has been at the front of the Donald Sterling story the entire time, so we take this report with a little less grains of salt than we usually would with a TMZ report.
TMZ, citing sources close to the Sterling family, reports Donald Sterling has given up control of the Clippers to his wife, Shelley, and that she is negotiating with the NBA to allow her to sell the team on her terms rather than through a forced sale:
Our sources say Shelly and her lawyer, Pierce O’Donnell, have been secretly meeting with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and NBA lawyers to “resolve the dispute amicably.” We’re told Shelly realizes the NBA wants the team sold, but she has significantly more leverage and credibility with the league than Donald. Her end game is simple — she won’t object to the sale, but SHE wants to call the shots.
Obviously this would be a quiet, more amicable end to this ugly saga. It would accomplish what the NBA eventually wants: a new owner with the Clippers. It would have the added bonus of bypassing costly litigation.
Here is hoping this is the last we hear of Donald Sterling for a long, long, long time.
