It appears the Donald Sterling fiasco may have finally come to a close. Although on May 31 Sterling successfully sold the Los Angeles Clippers to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer for $2 billion, Sterling’s lawsuit against the NBA was still impending. Now, Sterling’s lawyer stated that Sterling will drop the lawsuit, hinting that Sterling’s $2.5 million fine from the NBA is likely avoidable.
With the whole debacle (likely) over, here is the full timeline:
April 25, 2014: TMZ releases tapes of a conversation between a male and a female. The male makes a number of racially charged statements concerning the female’s black associates. The male voice was then confirmed to be that of Donald Sterling—owner of the Los Angeles Clippers. The female was confirmed to be V. Stiviano, allegedly a mistress of Sterling.
April 26-28, 2014: Los Angeles Clippers staff and players hold meeting discussing the incident and possibility of boycotting the April 27th playoff match with the Golden State Warriors as a protest. The Clippers ultimately decide against the boycotting, instead choosing to wear their shirts inside out. The ramifications of the Sterling incident then proved to be league-wide issue when the Miami Heat too wore their shirts inside out during their April 28th playoff game with the Charlotte Bobcats, showing that they sided with the Clippers.
April 29, 2014: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver bans Donald Sterling for life from all NBA related events, essentially forcing Sterling to sell his team. Sterling was also fined the maximum fine of $2.5 million.
May 16th, 2014: Donald Sterling refuses to pay his fine, and threatens to sue the NBA.
May 29th, 2014: Sterling’s wife, Shelley Sterling, reaches a deal that would sell the Clippers to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer for $2 billion.
May 31st, 2014: Sterling formally sues the NBA for $1 billion, hours after the NBA approved Ballmer’s purchase of the Clippers.
June 4th, 2014: Sterling’s attorney Maxwell Blecher announces that Sterling will no longer pursue his lawsuit with the NBA.
