Dallas Mavericks owner is afraid forcing Donald Sterling out would start NBA Down 'Slippery Slope'

[RandySF]

DALLAS (AP) — Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban called Donald Sterling's purported comments about minorities "abhorrent" while saying he didn't think the NBA could force him out as owner of the Los Angeles Clippers.

Speaking in Dallas' locker room before Game 4 of a first-round series against San Antonio on Monday night, Cuban said he trusted Commissioner Adam Silver to "operate under the best interest of the NBA."

The outspoken billionaire said it was a "slippery slope" to suggest that Sterling should be forced out as owner over comments made in the privacy of his home.

"What Donald said was wrong. It was abhorrent," Cuban said. "There's no place for racism in the NBA, any business I'm associated with. But at the same time, that's a decision I make. I think you've got to be very, very careful when you start making blanket statements about what people say and think, as opposed to what they do. It's a very, very slippery slope."

Two days earlier, Cuban declined to give his opinion over the brewing saga of the racist comments that Sterling is alleged to have made in a taped conversation.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/28/mark-cuban-donald-sterling-slippery-slope_n_5229901.html

[trublu992]

1. I'm sure if Sterling goes alot of closet like minds would have to follow.

[alp227]

2. " about what people say and think, as opposed to what they do."

Mark! As an NBA executive you oughta know that Sterling has a history of acting upon his bigoted beliefs. See this ESPN Magazine article from 2009 for instance.

[Submariner]

3. I believe Cuban is known for mouthing off at games

and getting fined, so he's probably fears getting the boot himself.

[Major Nikon]

9. Mark Cuban is a looneytarian

For those who don't know how unethical Mark Cuban really is, they should read this story printed in one of our local magazines.

http://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/2006/november/business-mark-cuban-is-playing-the-market

[PasadenaTrudy]

11. He is a dick for sure...n/t

[TexasTowelie]

4. A bit more context to this story from the Dallas Morning News:

Cuban said that slippery slope was the reason he didn’t want to expound on the Sterling issue when asked about it before Saturday’s Mavericks-Spurs Game 3.

“What Donald said was wrong,” Cuban said. “It was abhorrent. There’s no place for racism in the NBA, any business I’m associated with, and I don’t want to be associated with people who have that position.

“But at the same time, that’s a decision I make. I think you’ve got to be very, very careful when you start making blanket statements about what people say and think, as opposed to what they do. It’s a very, very slippery slope.

“Again, there’s no excuse for his positions. There’s no excuse for what he said. There’s no excuse for anybody to support racism. There’s no place for it in our league, but there’s a very, very, very slippery slope.

“If it’s about racism and we’re ready to kick people out of the league, OK? Then what about homophobia? What about somebody who doesn’t like a particular religion. What about somebody who’s anti-semitic What about a xenophobe?

“In this country, people are allowed to be morons.”

http://mavsblog.dallasnews.com/2014/04/mavericks-owner-mark-cuban-calls-donald-sterlings-comments-abhorrent-endorses-maximum-league-punishment.html/

[pacalo]

5. As for judging what an owner might say as opposed to what they *do*...

Carl Douglas, the attorney who represented Elgin Baylor in a 2009 lawsuit against Sterling, was on Hardball earlier & he added several other points against Sterling:

-- In the '80s, Sterling told a first-round draft pick, "That's an awful lot of money for a poor black kid -- you better take that money."

-- He would bring women into the locker rooms & admire the black bodies of his athletes as they came from the shower.

Sterling was also "responsible for the largest settlement of any housing discrimination case against blacks & Latinas in Los Angeles; he's basically a slumlord", according to Prof. James Peterson, another guest who spoke to Chris.

[Dorian Gray]

6. I can't stand Mark Cuban

What I would love to see happen is every single Clipper refuse to play, rendering the team worthless. Then he has to sell.

[former9thward]

7. Then they would all be sued and lose.

They (and their agents) are smarter than that.

[Dorian Gray]

10. I'm sure that's true

and it sucks. I certainly don't blame them for playing, either. I just hate the idea that Silver can sell and make money off their backs.

[pintobean]

8. What kind of 'Slippery Slope' is the NBA on now?

They have at least one racist owner. Advertiser are jumping ship from that team. Nearly 80% of the players are black. They need to cut out the poison before it spreads.