Ballmer, Sterling Meet to Discuss $2 Billion Sale of Clippers

Donald Sterling reportedly met with Steve Ballmer to discuss the $2 billion sale of the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday in Los Angeles, according to ESPN. The near 90-minute meeting was held at Sterling’s Beverly Hills home and it’s the first reported face-to-face meeting that the two have had since Shelly Sterling negotiated the sale of the Clippers to Ballmer, an ex-Microsoft CEO, on May 29. The Sterlings are still battling in court to determine whether Shelly properly followed the rules of the Sterling Family Trust in selling the Clippers franchise to Ballmer. Originally, a sale was to be closed by July 15 with a possible extension to August 15. The NBA can seize and sell the team itself if the sale isn’t officially complete and agreed upon by the other NBA owners by September 15. Meanwhile, a separate report from the Associated Press cites that Sterling has $500 million owed in loan debt and may be forced to sell a chunk of his real estate empire to cover it. According to the AP, three banks are ready to recall their loans to Sterling because of his decision to dissolve the Sterling Family Trust via his fight against the sale of the Clippers.