Donald Sterling drops lawsuit, won't stand in the way of LA Clippers sale

Donald Sterling

Washington, June 5 (IANS): Donald Sterling's lawyer said that the banned owner has agreed to sell the Los Angeles Clippers to former Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer and won't pursue a lawsuit against the NBA.

Attorney Maxwell Blecher confirmed that Sterling backed the $2 billion sale and wouldn't seek $1 billion in damages that he filed against the league Friday. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was also named as a defendant in the suit which alleged breach of contract and anti-trust and civil rights violations, reports Xinhua.

Silver had banned Sterling for life from all NBA activities and fined him $2.5 million. The NBA said last week that Sterling's wife Shelly, head of the Sterling family trust, had indemnified the league against further legal action in relation to the case. Therefore, even if Sterling pursued and won the case, the damages would have been paid by the trust.

The sale will become official with the approval of three quarters of the remaining 29 owners of the club.

Ballmer reassured Clippers fans last week that he didn't intend to move the club to any other city.