NBA owners to hold first discussions on Donald Sterling ouster
NEW YORK -- The NBA owners' advisory/finance committee will hold a meeting Thursday to discuss the next steps in the removal of Donald Sterling as owner of the Los Angeles Clippers.
The 10-member committee will have a conference call two days after Commissioner Adam Silver banned Sterling for life from the league and fined him $2.5 million for making racist comments. Silver also said he would urge owners to use their power to force Sterling to sell the team.
Minnesota owner Glen Taylor chairs the committee, which also includes Miami's Micky Arison, the Lakers' Jeanie Buss, Oklahoma City's Clay Bennett, New York's James Dolan, Boston's Wyc Grousbeck, San Antonio's Peter Holt, Phoenix's Robert Sarver, Indiana's Herb Simon, and Toronto's Larry Tanenbaum.
Luntz, who has been in contact with several NBA owners since the story broke, said, "They're angry that they're put into this situation. They don't want any divisions between themselves and the players. They feel that this is an embarrassment to the game, to the league and, frankly, to the country.
"What's interesting is that they're crediting the players for how well they've behaved, that they were going to challenge Sterling directly, that they were not going to play the games last night if Adam Silver had not taken his position," Luntz continued. "And there's a phrase that Silver used that the owners particularly appreciated - that he will do everything within his power - which recognizes that the owners themselves have to make the decision what happens to Donald Sterling - and they're prepared to tell him, 'You have to sell the team.'"
Meanwhile, a host of celebrities and moguls have expressed interest in buying the Clippers.
CBS News has confirmed that Oprah Winfrey is considering teaming with media mogul David Geffen and Oracle CEO Larry Ellison to make a bid to buy the team
Other celebrities who have expressed interest in buying the Clippers if Sterling is forced to sell include Floyd Mayweather Jr., Oscar De La Hoya and Shawn "P. Diddy" Combs.