Donald Sterling lawsuit for $1 Billion against the NBA has been dropped, his attorney told ESPN. Sterling also has approved the sale of Los Angeles Clippers to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer for $2 billion.
Sterling told NBC4 TV that he is now ready to move on: "I feel fabulous, I feel very good," Sterling said, adding, "everything is just the way it should be, really. It may have worked out differently, but it's good. It's all good."
"I'm OK, I'm OK," Sterling said. "Is the NBA OK? I'm not sure about that. Is Adam Silver OK? I'm sure he's OK."
Since the deal to sell the Clippers to Mr. Ballmer was approved, a meeting to decide Sterling's future in the NBA was dismissed. However, Sterling is still banned from the NBA for life.
A three-fourth vote from 29 votes will seal Ballmer's ownership of the Clippers.
Sterling's wife Shelly Sterling had indemnified the NBA from future legal action by her husband since the deal with Ballmer was pending. This was a settlement-type adjustment with the league as Mr. Sterling had developed Alzheimer's and was ordered incapacitated to make legal decisions. Shelly Sterling was then sole trustee of the Sterling family trust.
CBSSports reported that at the end Sterling was still seeking a lift of his ban and the fine for $2.5 million. This kept him from signing off the Clippers deal with Ballmer.
Sterling's lawyer Bobby Samini had worded a statement in a document saying " "All disputes and outstanding issues have been resolved." But Sterling's problems with the NBA were 'never-ending' as a change of heart created obstacles to smooth handling of the deal.
The NBA had not considered removing the lifetime ban imposed on Sterling and such a move would be uncharacteristic of NBA Commissioner Adam Sterling's term in office.
