--- description: The disgraced Clippers owner has reportedly secured the services of a legal heavyweight in order to fight the $2.5 million fine from the NBA title: Donald Sterling Refuses to Pay NBA Fine, Threatens Suit, Sources Say image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt72cf09173ce338c4/69868fd4169ab03aaf27957d/time-s-donald-sterling-1404291.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Basketball](/tag/basketball/) ## Basketball Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Sources: Donald Sterling Refuses to Pay NBA Fine, Threatens Litigation  by [Charlie Campbell](/author/charlie-campbell/)  ## Charlie Campbell Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Editor at Large May 16, 2014 7:24 AM CUT  Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling attends the NBA basketball game between the Toronto Raptors and the Los Angeles Clippers at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, on Dec. 22, 2008. Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling attends the NBA basketball game between the Toronto Raptors and the Los Angeles Clippers at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, on Dec. 22, 2008.Landov  by [Charlie Campbell](/author/charlie-campbell/)  ## Charlie Campbell Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Editor at Large May 16, 2014 7:24 AM CUT _Sports Illustrated_ is [reporting](http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nba/news/20140515/donald-sterling-nba-la-clippers-adam-silver/ "undefined") that L.A. Clippers owner Donald Sterling is poised to unleash renowned antitrust litigator Maxwell Blecher in order to avoid being reprimanded by the NBA. The 80-year-old property tycoon has been slapped with a $2.5 million fine and ordered to sell the team — eliminated from the playoffs by the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday — after his [racist rant](http://time.com/97014/donald-sterling-cnn-anderson-cooper/ "undefined") was leaked to the media. Sources told SI.com that Blecher filed a letter on Sterling’s behalf to NBA executive vice president and general counsel Rick Buchanan. The missive denies any wrongdoing, argues “no punishment is warranted” and warns that the controversy “will be adjudicated,” suggesting a lengthy legal battle could lie ahead. “We reject your demand for payment,” the letter tells Buchanan, basing its assertions on two key points: first, that Sterling has not violated any article of the NBA constitution, and second, that his “due-process rights” have not been met. Read more from the _Sports Illustrated_ story [here](http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nba/news/20140515/donald-sterling-nba-la-clippers-adam-silver/ "undefined"). ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/102366/donald-sterling-nba-fine-litigation-maxwell-blecher/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/102366/donald-sterling-nba-fine-litigation-maxwell-blecher/"},"headline":"Sources: Donald Sterling Refuses to Pay NBA Fine, Threatens Litigation","datePublished":"2014-05-16T07:24:13.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-21T07:52:48.147Z","description":"L.A. 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