By Associated Press, 12 June, 2014
A person with knowledge of Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling's legal strategy says his team of lawyers has hired four private investigation firms to dig up dirt on the NBA's former and current commissioners and its 29 owners.
The individual, who wasn't authorized to talk publicly, says investigators were given a six-figure budget over the next 30 days to examine the league's finances, allegations of previous discriminatory conduct and compensation to past commissioner David Stern and current commissioner Adam Silver.
They're also looking into whether other owners ever made any off-color jokes, or racist or sexist remarks.
Sterling is suing the NBA for $1 billion in Federal court after the league tried to oust him as Clippers owner for making racist remarks to a girlfriend that were publicized.
A trial will be held next month to determine whether Sterling, who opposes his estranged wife's planned sale of the Los Angeles Clippers, was properly removed as an administrator for the family trust that owns the team.
A probate court judge in Los Angeles Wednesday denied Shelly Sterling's urgent request to confirm her authority as sole administrator of The Sterling Family Trust so that she can unilaterally proceed with a $2 billion sale of the team to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. Instead, the judge agreed to an expedited hearing because of looming sales deadlines.
Court filings Wednesday indicated the NBA has set a hard deadline of Sept. 15. If the sale isn't completed then, the league will undertake proceedings to seize and sell the team on its own.
Donald Sterling's lawyer, Bobby Samini, left the courthouse without comment after a clerk announced the trial schedule. Neither Sterling was present.
'I just want to resolve this as quickly as possible,' NBA Commissioner Adam Silver told The Associated Press on Wednesday in Miami at an NBA Cares event.