Cuban Supports Ousting Clippers Owner

Cuban warns of "slippery slope," but supports Sterling's ouster

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban called Donald Sterling's purported comments about minorities "abhorrent" and supported an NBA decision to oust the owner of the LA Clippers.

Sterling was banned for life by the NBA Tuesday in response to racist comments the league said he made in an audio recording.  Sterling was also fined $2.5 million, the maximum fine the league allows.

Speaking in Dallas' locker room Monday before Game 4 of a first-round series against San Antonio, Cuban spoke for nearly 20 minutes and said he trusted Commissioner Adam Silver to "operate under the best interest of the NBA."

"This is a very slippery slope. Look, what Donald said was wrong. It was abhorrent. There's no place for racism in the NBA, or any business I'm associated with, and I don't want to be associated with people who have that position," said Cuban.

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.  However, after Silver's announcement Tuesday afternoon, Cuban tweeted a message of support.

Monday night, Cuban said the following while questioning Sterling's removal:  "I think it's a slippery slope when you start trying to remove people from the NBA, or any organization, based off of their private thoughts that they have at home. In this country, people are allowed to be morons. They're allowed to be stupid. They're allowed to think idiotic thoughts. And within an organization like the NBA, we try to do what's in the best interest of the league. And that's why we have a commissioner and a constitution."

Still, Cuban said that while there was "no place" in the league for racism, he wondered how other forms of discrimination would be handled.

"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 someone who's anti-semetic? What about a xenophobe? What about, you know there's any lists about, you know, someone who's prejudice against Latinos?" Cuban said.

Sterling is alleged to have made racist comments in a taped conversation.

Though Cuban spoke for nearly 20 minutes, we can only show you two minutes of that footage, for 72 hours, due to NBA use restrictions. A segment of Cuban's interview is above until it expires.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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