The league wanted to work with Ballmer, who made clear his desire to own with the astonishing price he paid. The former Microsoft CEO was nearly an NBA owner last year before owners chose to keep the Kings in Sacramento, rather than allow them to be sold to a group that included Ballmer, and moved to Seattle.
He got another chance after Donald Sterling was recorded making racial remarks to a female friend. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver then banned Sterling for life and fined him $2.5 million, and said he would urge owners to force Sterling to sell.
Instead, Shelly Sterling made the deal with Ballmer, which could have fallen through if Levanas had ruled she didn’t have the authority. And the Clippers’ high hopes might’ve crumbled just as quickly.