Trial to determine legality of LA Clippers' sale to start in July

Donald Sterling

Washington, June 12 (IANS): A trial to determine the fate of the Donald Sterling's Los Angeles Clippers sale will open July 7.

The trial, to last four days, will end days before the deadline to complete the sale and when NBA owners are scheduled to vote for the approval of the sale, reports Xinhua.

Shelly Sterling, the wife of embattled Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, asked a court Wednesday to complete a $2 billion sale of the NBA team and expressed a desire to prevent a "significant loss" to the family trust if her husband blocked the sale.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Wednesday the league is likely to approve the deal, provided Shelly Sterling wins the case and can sell to the former Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer.

Shelly claimed her husband was unable to manage his own business affairs in papers filed with the court, according to the Los Angeles' local press.

Donald's racist remarks in a private conversion, made public in April, led Silver to ban him from the NBA for life. The league wanted Donald to withdraw a lawsuit against the NBA while Donald insists upon it.