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DonViejo

(60,536 posts) Mon Apr 28, 2014, 12:34 PM Apr 2014

Magic Johnson is angling to buy the Clippers from Sterling

Magic Johnson Might Buy the Clippers from Donald Sterling

By Ben Mathis-Lilley

Well-connected Yahoo basketball reporter Adrian Wojnarowski has an amazing story this morning: Magic Johnson, who was apparently one of the people who inspired Donald Sterling's extended racist remarks, is angling to buy the Clippers from Sterling.

Magic Johnson and his billionaire backers, the Guggenheim Partners, want a chance to purchase the Los Angeles Clippers, league sources told Yahoo Sports. "Magic's absolutely interested," one source closely connected to Johnson's business interests told Yahoo Sports on Sunday night.

Johnson and Guggenheim already own the Los Angeles Dodgers and the WNBA Los Angeles Sparks, so it's not a far-fetched idea on his end. The sticking point, of course, is that the Clippers are owned by Sterling, who has not been looking to sell. The idea, apparently, is that the NBA and Sterling's fellow owners will look to punish him to the maximum extent possible under the league's bylaws, which, combined with the presumed impossibility of his ever again interacting credibly with players, coaches, or staff, could force a sale.

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http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2014/04/28/magic_johnson_buying_clippers_donald_sterling_could_be_forced_to_sell.html

8 replies

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Magic Johnson is angling to buy the Clippers from Sterling (Original Post) DonViejo Apr 2014 OP

Sterling will be selling soon. hughee99 Apr 2014 #1

No rules in place to force him out krawhitham Apr 2014 #4

When a lot of people with a lot of money want something to happen, it usually does. n/t hughee99 Apr 2014 #5

Please... Please let this happen! Initech Apr 2014 #2

Yup..paid $12.5 million in 1981; probably worth $750 million now BeyondGeography Apr 2014 #6

Why should Sterling be allowed to sell the team and make a profit? tularetom Apr 2014 #3

Especially any part that was financed by the taxpayers. LiberalFighter Apr 2014 #7

Damn Lurker Deluxe Apr 2014 #8

hughee99

(16,113 posts)

1. Sterling will be selling soon.

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Mon Apr 28, 2014, 12:36 PM

Apr 2014

The NBA and the other owners can't "let this slide".

krawhitham

(4,644 posts)

4. No rules in place to force him out

Reply to hughee99 (Reply #1)

Mon Apr 28, 2014, 12:45 PM

Apr 2014

MLB has rules to allow it but the NBA does not

hughee99

(16,113 posts)

5. When a lot of people with a lot of money want something to happen, it usually does. n/t

Reply to krawhitham (Reply #4)

Mon Apr 28, 2014, 12:54 PM

Apr 2014

Initech

(100,080 posts)

2. Please... Please let this happen!

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Mon Apr 28, 2014, 12:39 PM

Apr 2014

The bad thing is that Donald Sterling will be laughing all the way to the bank just like Frank McCourt did when Magic bought the Dodgers.

BeyondGeography

(39,374 posts)

6. Yup..paid $12.5 million in 1981; probably worth $750 million now

Reply to Initech (Reply #2)

Mon Apr 28, 2014, 12:57 PM

Apr 2014

http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-04-28/donald-sterling-has-no-future-with-the-los-angeles-clippers

It's the LA market and the Bucks sold for $550 million not long ago. The other owners will be involved/defending the value of their own franchises.

tularetom

(23,664 posts)

3. Why should Sterling be allowed to sell the team and make a profit?

Reply to DonViejo (Original post)

Mon Apr 28, 2014, 12:41 PM

Apr 2014

The league should buy the team back from him at whatever cost he paid for it, then sell the franchise to Magic Johnson or whoever else. Sterling is entitled to get his original investment back but he shouldn't be able to enrich himself as a result of his racist attitudes.

LiberalFighter

(50,942 posts)

7. Especially any part that was financed by the taxpayers.

Reply to tularetom (Reply #3)

Mon Apr 28, 2014, 01:01 PM

Apr 2014

At the very least the current value that was financed by taxpayers should not be included in any payment.

Lurker Deluxe

(1,036 posts)

8. Damn

Reply to tularetom (Reply #3)

Mon Apr 28, 2014, 01:03 PM

Apr 2014

For something he said?

As horrid as his speech may be it is not illegal. What he said can not be defended except that ... well, it is defended. He can pay the price in the public opinion and you may choose to not buy his product and players may choose to not play for this team, but to remove his property because he said something offensive is setting a horrible precedent.

What should happen to Irsay who owns the Colts? He actually BROKE THE LAW!

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