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Steve Ballmer is the new owner of the Los Angeles Clippers.
After a California court confirmed Shelly Sterling’s authority to sell the Clippers on behalf of the Sterling Family Trust, the league announced that former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer’s record $2 billion bid was accepted and the deal was closed, officially making him the new owner of the franchise that Donald Sterling owned since 1981 when he bought it for $12 million.
Ballmer was among six other bidders to show serious interest in owning the Clippers with the three highest bidders being $1.2 billion from a group including former NBA player Grant Hill and Los Angeles businessmen Bruce Karsh and Tony Ressler, $1.6 billion from a group led by musician David Geffen and finally Ballmer’s $2 billion bid.
The NBA’s board of governors interviewed Ballmer on July 15th and then took a vote electronically last week that he unanimously won to become the owner. However, Ballmer insisted that he would complete the sale only once a written order came through from the judge of the Supreme Court Michael Levanas, which came in on Tuesday morning.
"We were ready. Within minutes, the deal was signed, sealed and delivered."-Adam Streisand, Ballmer's attorney
Drama surrounding franchise finally settles
The turmoil began in late April when a tape released by TMZ allegedly caught Donald Sterling, the then Clippers owner making disturbing racist remarks to his wife. Once the league confirmed the voice on the tape was indeed that of Sterling, he was banned for life from the NBA and fined $2.5 million , the maximum allowed under the NBA constitution.
With the league threatening to seize and auction off the franchise, Sterling gave permission to his wife Shelly Sterling to negotiate for sale deals. It was then that Ballmer and Sterling’s wife came to an agreement on a deal to sell the team, but Sterling then refused to sign the deal and decided to sue the league in court.
The lawsuit on the league did not last long as Sterling’s wife removed him as a trustee after doctor’s reports were submitted in court that Donald had symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.
Problems put to rest
The official change in ownership ices serious troubling signs that had been linked to the team in recent months. Clippers All-Star Chris Paul and Head Coach Doc Rivers both openly admitted that they would not play for the team if Sterling continued to remain as the owner.
"I am very excited about Mr. Ballmer's purchase of the Clippers. I've had a chance to meet him, and his excitement for the game of basketball and our team is going to be great for the league, the city of Los Angeles and Clipper fans everywhere."-Paul on Ballmer.
There were no hard feelings between the two parties that sealed the sale as Shelly Stelring, who Ballmer agreed to give the title of “owner emeritus” said this:
"I am confident that Steve will bring the city a championship team in the very near future,"-Shelly Sterling.
Guess the Lakers players!
