Steve Ballmer is looking into buying Los Angeles Clippers

Ex-Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is reportedly in talks with the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers NBA team. Shelly Sterling, who recently bought the team from husband Donald Sterling, met with Ballmer over the weekend to engage in talks of selling the professional team. Mrs Sterling has hesitated in selling out, but with issues staining the team, it would make sense for a deal to be arranged.

According to TMZ, Ballmer has indicated he plans to purchase the Clippers. We'll have to wait and see who will be named as the new owner(s) of the basketball team. It's not known what would happen to the team should a Ballmer buyout take place, but the businessman has previously stated he has no plans to move the team from Los Angeles now that he has more time. Fans, what are your thoughts?

Source: TMZ; thanks, df608, for the tip!

Rich Edmonds
Senior Editor, PC Build

Rich Edmonds was formerly a Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.

88 Comments
  • Alright, my day is made. Nothing can top that headline.
  • Yup... Go Ballmer
  • I DID NOT see this coming...
  • #BringBackTheSonics
  • The ape man returns. This should be fun...
  • who is Steve Ballmer?
  • He'll most likely want to move the team to Seattle which would be a very good move imo.
  • Agreed.
  • Most definitely
  • Yes, I agree to.
  • This was going to be my comment
  • I'm sure many would hate that idea.
  • I'm a Lakers fan so I dont give a shit lol
  • I miss having the NBA in Seattle plus the Lakers are my team anyway so I have no problem with this. 
  • Lel
  • Its being sold to sterlings best friend
  • LA is Lakers town. <3
  • Wouldn't a D-league team be more fitting for him?
  • I was thinking the same, but as someone else pointed out, he also has ties to Seattle which doesn't have a team.
  • And most importantly used to have an important team
  • This would be great. Hopefully he can implement more Microsoft stuff in the NBA
  • Nice to see him do something fun with his money.
  • Lakers Lakers Lakers Lakers Lakers Lakers Lakers Lakers Lakers
  • Are washed up....
  • Lol, exactly.
  • KOBE!!!
  • So they had one bad season, its not like they have no hope of recovering. It's the Lakers not the flippers
  • I don't care. I'm not one to criticize WPCentral, but this is really, really not related to WP...
  • then if you don't care...
    1. why did you open the article?
    2. do you understand WPcentral is not only about WP anymore?
    3. There is a reason why it's labeled as GENERAL NEWS, but go on, ignore it.
    4. I wonder if you even read the article... or just came straight to comment section, but of course you don't care, that's why you even took the time to write a comment.
    5. next time (in my opinion) you should ignore "general news" news, if you won't add anything to the comment section by critcizing WPcentral (because you are) about not writing just about WP and how "it's not related to it" like if you were the only person who didn't notice this wasn't a Windows Phone news.
  • If he didn't jump to the comments to tell us he doesn't care, how would we all know that he doesn't care? Him not caring is pertinent information to all of our lives!
  • Keep telling your self that WP central isn't about Windows anymore.
  • dude(tte?) calm down!
    the guy has a point! it has nothing to do with phones, OSes or anything windows related.
    but then again, some background on the people behind (ahem, used to be behind i mean) microsoft can be intressting..for some
  • No Ballmer is only the largest Microsoft stock holder. So no it's not Microsoft news.
  • Completely agree. WPCentral is posting too much irrelevant news. This was not remotely related to Windows Phone or even Microsoft.
  • Yep, and it's not even remotely tech related. Ballmer has ties with Microsoft and that's it... if it was actually related to Microsoft or it's products (Xbox, Windows, Windows Phone, Nokia) it wouldn't matter so much.
  • Steve Ballmer is the biggest shareholder of Microsoft. Anything he does can impact Microsoft positively or negatively. So yes, this article is relevant to Windows phone. I don't follow basketball at all, but I think that it would be good for business that Steve buys the team.
  • At least he will be a better owner than Sterling lol
  • Now he can replace the ordinary basketball with a Microsoft ball!
  • He better make Clippy the mascot...
  • Lol good one.
  • You win the Internet.
  • Lol.
  • or cortana :p
  • This relates to windows phone how?????
  • Steve Ballmer is the biggest shareholder of Microsoft. DOES ANYONE KNOW WHO HE IS?!?!?!?!
  • Better than Oprah
  • Definite slow news day. This is even more out of place than those Nokia x articles(which thankfully haven't been mentioned much) Literally no connection with Microsoft aside from Ballmer lol
  • Yeah this news arrived yesterday I guess
  • Honestly I find all this stuff interesting, clippers Nokia X and all. The great thing about living in a free country is that we can CHOOSE what we read and what we ignore.
    It's like bitching about reading the paper if all you care about is hockey news. Just ignore the other sections, and ignore the other sports
  • Not really bitching but it literally has nothing to do with anything Microsoft related. I could stretch and see the relation Nokia x has with Microsoft but Ballmer buying a sports team is literally largely irrelevant. Not so much a complaint. It's an observation. Slow news days. It is a holiday after all.
  • This it's six degrees of Microsoft... Deal with it!
  • Agreed - this is a tech site. A former CEO wanting to buy a sports team is completely non-tech related.
  • What's next, WPCentral posts about what Satya ate for dinner? I come here for all Microsoft news, not for a distraction ....
  • Some people don't have anything else to do. Whining like baby's. I found the article to be very interesting. Is not a Windows phone or OS article, but still is about something related to Microsoft.
  • It may not be WP related, but Nokia X is definitely a Microsoft owned brand.
  • It should be sold to ever has the most money. Unfortunately the league will probably try to force Sterling to sell the Clips for a cheaper price. Just to get a minority to be a partial owner. Which is total B.S.
  • Why is it total B.S.? And how much are you going to lose if it's sold for a cheaper price?
  • Its total BS because its reverse discrimination. You don't correct one prejudice by implementing another. But this isn't the site for this type of debate.
  • I agree this isn't the forum for racial debate but your reverse discrimination assessment is way off base.
  • I'd lose my faith in people having common sense. If you own something you should be able to sell it for the most money. If you were selling your car or something don't you think you should be able to sell it to the person who offers you the most money? What if your local government said hey you gotta sell it half price to a homeless person because we wanna help the homeless. Yeah that would help the homeless but it'd be screwing you outta money.
  • They can't force him to resell for a cheaper price. The market value of the team will determine that. He devalued the team with his comments and remarks. I'm sure he'll still get a billion for it. Its unfair to compare minorities to homeless people. My God! We have billionaires also that are interested in buying. But I respect your opinion.
    Its good news that Ballmer is interested.
  • C'mon tbonenga, lets help the homeless!! Lmao awesome comparison!!!
  • Your comments are pure speculation and makes YOU sound suspect, because you pulling something out of thin air. There is a value placed on the team already and the NBA NEVER mentioned ANYTHING about putting a cap on the sales price. Do you even watch basketball. Opinions are fine when there is some type of proof or facts to back them up. In this case there are NONE!!!!! Then when someone calls you a RACIST you'll say, "Oh he's playing the Race card again!", but you sound like one when you make something up with not an once of truth behind it. Oh and by the way most teams in ALL sports have minority owners...they are the ones who don't own as much of the team as majority owners. This I what allows people with less money than billionaires to own a stake. Ignorance is one of the reasons racism will never die and you sound very ignorant in your comment. IMHO. #Lumia925 #GoWindowsPhone
  • Thanks for VALIDATING my comment. Most major league teams have a minority owner that's a minority that owns 1 to 3%. Billionaires' have to have a minority riding their shirttail or leagues want allow the sell. So if Ballmer does buy the team he'll have to find a token minority or he can forget that sell ever getting approved. I don't agree with that. I don't care what color, religion or sexual orientation you are. It should be sold to the highest bidder regardless of anything else.
  • First off don't try and pretend that when you used the word "Minority" you weren't refering to race. Secondly Sterling is currently the MAJORITY owner and there are possibly already MINORITY owners of the Clippers who WOULD NOT BE FORCED TO SELL. They're putting together COLLECTIVE groups to buy the team and which ever team has the MOST $$$$ and bids the highest for the MAJORITY stake will win and get the team MORON. It wouldn't have ANYTHING to do with WHO the buyers are. The only other things that might come into play would be IF the NBA said they wuld only sell to a buyer who would NOT move the team and that's only IF that is a stipulation. So dance around your comments if you want either way YOU STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. If you have something to say fine, but don't MAKE S#!T UP! 
  • He should buy them and move them to Seattle.
  • Basketballmer!
  • This made me smile : )
  • Comments in TMZ can get "amazing" by people mentioning Windows 8 or how Ballmer can be racist wow... xD
    But I remember it was mentioned in the past Ballmer wanted a Basketball team and wanted to take it to Seattle so nothing new about it. but this sounds like the good opportunity he was waiting for. so hope it happens for Ballmer. of course I don't follow much basketball or NBA anymore (only when I was kid), but if this happens I could watch at least Seattle (whatever name it will have) games.
    I want to get to see Ballmer often in camera! he always seemed a cool crazy guy. :D
  • Possible move of the Clippers to Seattle????
  • Ballmer has said on record that he would be buying the team to stay put. The NBA wouldn't allow him to move it at this point.
  • Tell that to the owners of the Thunder.
  • So this means "clippy" mascot is coming soon :P
  • Its bullshit what happened to Donald sterling. I'd tell the commissioner to fuck off and sue for encroaching my rights for free speech. Who gives a shit about what he said.
  • That would only cost him more money in legal fees to end up back where he started. The old man signed an agreement when he bought the team that gives the league all the power. The commissioner has decided to exercise that power to protect the NBA's brand. This isn't complicated. Also, his so-called right to free speech was not violated because the government isn't forcing him to sell, the league is. Tell me, why do people think the constitution protects from all consequences, in all scenarios? As long as you are not jailed for what you say, the 1st amendment is being violated.
  • Because his phone was wired without Sterlings knowledge, which is illegal, but that method which was used didn't matter, just the context. That's what the 1st amendment protects. I've read articles on this subject, and I've fought for those same freedoms overseas. When you've fought for those freedoms and almost die for them, you take every fucking thing seriously. Just my two cents.
  • I tend to agree regarding the illegality of the recordings being used against Sterling. In California, all parties must be aware that a conversation is being recorded for recording to take place legally. If this were a criminal proceeding, they would most likely be inadmissible. In this instance, the person who allegedly recorded Sterling  (V. Stiviano, I suppose) may (should) be subject to criminal penalties for releasing the recording, but now that the recordings are public it may not matter how the NBA became aware of the information. I'm still not sure why Sterling isn't going after the ex-girlfriend who made the recording other than it would be PR suicide.
  • He will run on the court screaming Defense, Defense, Defense!!!!
  • lawl xD
  • Lmfao.
  • I think it's a great idea! I live in LA and Ballmer would be a great owner.
  • Agree, but anything is better than Donald.
  • I find it funny that he's from Michigan guy and doesn't give two squats about hockey.  It's too bad there's not a billionaire in Seattle with the passion about hockey.  I'd rather have an NHL team then an NBA team anyday of the week.
  • He can afford so why not
  • I actually got to meet Steve yesterday prior to him flying to meet her. Very nice guy, even got to shake his hand and inform him I was a fan. My co workers were making fun of me until I informed them who he was.
  • Trying to follow the path of Paul Allen I see Posted via the WPC App for Android!
  • Win or lose, Oregon loves what Paul Allen has done with our team.
  • Developers developers developers developers developers developers developers developers