Steve Ballmer, who retired in February after 14 years at Microsoft, named as highest bidder
Deal must now be agreed by 80-year-old Sterling and the NBA
The LA Clippers have been sold to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer in a $2 billion deal after their previous owner Donald Sterling was given a NBA ban over racist remarks.
Ballmer, who retired from Microsoft in February, is said to have reached a binding agreement with Sterling’s wife, Shelly, who had been handling the sale of the team.
The sale comes just days before a NBA panel was due to meet to discuss revoking Sterling’s ownership over the team in light of the racism scandal last month.
On the day the deal was announced, Sterling was spotted looking relaxed as he had coffee with a mysterious woman in Los Angeles.
Sterling had handed control of the sale negotiations to his wife afterthe NBA banned him for life in April over racist comments.
While the deal between Balmer and Shelly Sterling has been agreed, it still has to pass the approval of a NBA panel.
Although Sterling’s lawyer had said he planned to fight his NBA ban and push to remove him as Clippers owner, it seemed that Sterling was not standing in the way of his wife’s efforts to sell the team.
Steve Ballmer punches the air as he watches the Clippers play the Golden State Warriors in April
Ballmer, who retired as CEO of Microsoft in February, has promised that the Clippers will remain based in LA.
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