Steve Ballmer Committed To Keep Clippers In Los Angeles, Spend On Top Free Agents

[RealGM Wiretap]

The NBA announced the sale of the Los Angeles Clippers to Steve Ballmer on Friday, and the new owner and former Microsoft CEO was adamant in his commitment to the city of L.A. and keeping the team as an elite organization.

There have been rumors that Ballmer could look to move the Clippers to Seattle.

Ballmer beat out one team led by entertainment mogul David Geffen (offer: $1.6 billion) and another led by investment manager Tony Ressler (offer: $1.2 billion.) in order to acquire the Clippers.

"I've got big dreams for the team," Ballmer said. "I'd love to win a championship. I'd love the Clippers to be the most dynamic, vibrant team and name in professional sports. But I got a lot to learn.

"The only way any of this makes sense — my desire to spend time in Los Angeles, this team, its aspirations, this community, this purchase price, any of that — is to really kind of live out the dream and make this kind of America's team, the Los Angeles Clippers."

Ballmer also met with interim CEO Dick Parsons on Friday.

Via James Rainey/Los Angeles Times

[asuran]

Saying all the right things.
Anyone spending 2Billion on a team won't allow this team to be 2nd rate.
Lakers are down right now. Keep them down!

[bqmuzik]

Saying all the right things.
Anyone spending 2Billion on a team won't allow this team to be 2nd rate.
Lakers are down right now. Keep them down!

Preach!!!

[JazzMatt13]

He is obviously going to move them to Seattle. Weren't talking about one of the guys who tried to get Kings to Seattle, now he just dumped a bunch of money.

Would you rather have a supposed racist as an owner for a 2nd LA team, or a cool owner for a Seattle team. I am sure Sonics will be back soon enough, not like Clippers should be allowed to live. I mean Sterling paid the big price, I doubt NBA wants to keep the history of Clippers after he is gone.

[ratmrocks89]

He is obviously going to move them to Seattle. Weren't talking about one of the guys who tried to get Kings to Seattle, now he just dumped a bunch of money.

Would you rather have a supposed racist as an owner for a 2nd LA team, or a cool owner for a Seattle team. I am sure Sonics will be back soon enough, not like Clippers should be allowed to live. I mean Sterling paid the big price, I doubt NBA wants to keep the history of Clippers after he is gone.

i doubt he would pay 2 billion to move a team from the 2nd biggest market in the country to the 21st biggest market in the country. it makes no real sense to do so.

the reason the team was able to fetch 2 billion was because of the location and market.

[johne86]

Dear, Clippers fan- ....bandwagoners

You think the Lakers future seems f@#ked right now your team's is even worse which is why I can't stop laughing my a$$ off and Ballmer's comments only make it all the funnier. Truly some of the s#!t these billionaires spout simply personifies their complete ignorance of basketball and proves that the only thing they care about is money. He is so clueless it's sad, he wants to make the Clippers America's team? even though the Lakers are the NBA's premiere franchise and have been L.A's foremost team regardless of standing, for the last 50+ years. Talk about delusions of grandeur or better yet just down right deluded.

He wants to spend to bring in more stars yet the Clippers are literally the ONLY team in the league who won't have cap space for several years, 2017 or 2018 to be exact, and have limited/worthless draft picks in that same time frame. Nor do they have any real tradable assets outside of DeAndre Jordan, which wouldn't be enough to land another major star. Then we have the coup de grâce which is that in the three years lob city was formed they've experienced nothing but failure with early playoff exits and last I checked as the years go by and players get older things don't get better they get worse.

Call me a biased Lakers fan if you like but like any die hard fan of not just their team but of basketball in general. I'm always looking years ahead and what I see is a return to mediocrity if not laughing stock of the NBA, for the Clippers, in 3-5 years.

[lakersin4]

You have over 90M each committed to CP3 & Blake over the next 4 seasons.. What top free agents?

[Shem]

He is obviously going to move them to Seattle. Weren't talking about one of the guys who tried to get Kings to Seattle, now he just dumped a bunch of money.

Would you rather have a supposed racist as an owner for a 2nd LA team, or a cool owner for a Seattle team. I am sure Sonics will be back soon enough, not like Clippers should be allowed to live. I mean Sterling paid the big price, I doubt NBA wants to keep the history of Clippers after he is gone.

You're comparing moving a team out of Sacramento versus moving a team out of LA. There's a HUGE difference with that.

-LA market versus Sacramento market

-First Class arena versus a dump

-The Clippers have a lease at the Staples Center until 2024

-The Clippers sell out all their games, so attendance isn't the problem

-If the NBA fought to keep the Kings in Sacramento, what do you think would happen if the Clippers threaten to move, especially since their games have great attendance and a great arena?

-Do you really think players like Chris Paul and Blake Griffin would want to play in the crappy Key Arena in Seattle or a first class arena in Los Angeles? Better yet, would Chris Paul or Blake Griffin rather play in Seattle or Los Angeles? Even better, would NBA free agents rather play in Los Angeles or Seattle? Where is the easier city to win a title?

I personally guarantee the Clippers stay in LA. I want you to remember this post when years go by and they still haven't moved in case you still don't want to believe me.

[10acious]

He is obviously going to move them to Seattle. Weren't talking about one of the guys who tried to get Kings to Seattle, now he just dumped a bunch of money.

Would you rather have a supposed racist as an owner for a 2nd LA team, or a cool owner for a Seattle team. I am sure Sonics will be back soon enough, not like Clippers should be allowed to live. I mean Sterling paid the big price, I doubt NBA wants to keep the history of Clippers after he is gone.

i doubt he would pay 2 billion to move a team from the 2nd biggest market in the country to the 21st biggest market in the country. it makes no real sense to do so.

the reason the team was able to fetch 2 billion was because of the location and market.

Also, don't forget the local cable TV contracts. In LA, the TV contract will be huge because the games will go into millions of locations. In Seattle, not so much.

Also remember, Ballmer was effectively fired from Microsoft, which, as everyone knows, is headquartered in the Seattle area. The whole thing with bringing the Kings to Seattle happened before his sudden departure from Microsoft. So he has no real attachment to Seattle anymore. He said this in so many words with his statement that he could be moving to LA to devote more attention to his new $2 billion toy (probably to the consternation of the teams professionals headed by Doc Rivers). It is silly to write that the Clippers are moving to Seattle.

[Portlander]

The Clippers as America's team...BWAH HA HA HA! But I sure wish I had a couple of extra BILLION dollars to throw around. I'd have alot more friends than I do now! That's for sure! Ha!

[DEEP3CL]

Saying all the right things.
Anyone spending 2Billion on a team won't allow this team to be 2nd rate.
Lakers are down right now. Keep them down!

Comments like these make me lmao. You fail to realize this league is about attaining salary space, and when the team is set to get a boat load of it again in two years I highly doubt they'll be kept down. Educate yourself on how this business works.

[asuran]

Saying all the right things.
Anyone spending 2Billion on a team won't allow this team to be 2nd rate.
Lakers are down right now. Keep them down!

Comments like these make me lmao. You fail to realize this league is about attaining salary space, and when the team is set to get a boat load of it again in two years I highly doubt they'll be kept down. Educate yourself on how this business works.

Replies like this makes me laugh. Yes, there is a cap, you think someone with big money won't go over the cap to be the best? Would you pay 2 billion if you know you aren't trying to be the best? Before the sale, many said that the team will go around a billion. To some he over paid to win the bid, u think he won't go over the cap to win?
New ownership, management may or may not be changed, trades may or may not happen. Salary structure of the team may or may not change. No one said it will happen over night.
As Ballmer would yell "developers, developers, developers!"
He has the product, will develop it, will tweak it, will tinker with it until it's top notch.

[DEEP3CL]

Saying all the right things.
Anyone spending 2Billion on a team won't allow this team to be 2nd rate.
Lakers are down right now. Keep them down!

Comments like these make me lmao. You fail to realize this league is about attaining salary space, and when the team is set to get a boat load of it again in two years I highly doubt they'll be kept down. Educate yourself on how this business works.

Replies like this makes me laugh. Yes, there is a cap, you think someone with big money won't go over the cap to be the best? Would you pay 2 billion if you know you aren't trying to be the best? Before the sale, many said that the team will go around a billion. To some he over paid to win the bid, u think he won't go over the cap to win?
New ownership, management may or may not be changed, trades may or may not happen. Salary structure of the team may or may not change. No one said it will happen over night.
As Ballmer would yell "developers, developers, developers!"
He has the product, will develop it, will tweak it, will tinker with it until it's top notch.

Dude the Clippers are already over the cap and have no foreseeable options that can get them under. Boo who he paid 2 bil for the team, he still has to operate under the CBA and the way this new one is set up teams are looking at only 3-4 year windows to be great or good. The repeater tax penalty is the killer part of this CBA, when teams are approaching that window they're gonna be looking to cut salary.....all the time.

I never said the man won't come in a mix it up, he most definitely will. It's just that he's got other issues to worry about before titles.

[maran747]

To lakersin4 - you're an idiot if you do not think Balmer is going to make a good run against the Lakers. It only takes money moron.. You think Lakers winning ways is not able to be bought? You are looking at the Clippers of old, keep in mind, this is a new owner, richer owner, and willing to spend, not like cheap ass Sterling. Buss family is only worth 600 million, have you seen Balmer's net worth? 20 billion...Balmer signs someone like Lebron, you still think Clips going to be a laughing stock, you're an idiot, I have to say it again...You're the laughing stock. Give out some seats to Hollywood celebs, to be seen at court side, Lebron, CP3, hopefully BG, etc, and you've got yourself a show..Lakers who?...