Steve Ballmer bids $1.8 billion for Los Angeles Clippers

May 3, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; General view of the Los Angeles Clippers logo on the court before game seven of the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs against the Golden State Warriors at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
May 3, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; General view of the Los Angeles Clippers logo on the court before game seven of the first round of the 2014 NBA Playoffs against the Golden State Warriors at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is one of the top candidates to buy the Los Angeles Clippers from Donald Sterling and his wife Shelly, as he is one of five serious bidders.

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The sale of the team has turned into an auction, so the final price for whoever ends up purchasing the team could be in excess of $2 billion.

According to Forbes, Ballmer’s offer is as high as $1.8 billion:

"Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has offered $1.8 billion for the Los Angeles Clippers, according to a person familiar with Ballmer’s interst in the NBA team. Ballmer, who retired as Microsoft’s CEO four months ago has a net worth of $20 billion. Another source, with intimate knowledge of the bids that Rochelle Sterling has thus far received for the basketball team, said offers have come in between $1 billion and $2 billion and that the Ballmer package is strong."

According to the same Forbes report, if the Clippers indeed sell for $1.8 billion, it would be the second-highest price ever paid for a US sports franchise. Even though Donald Sterling has already been banned for life by the NBA and fined $2.5 million, the NBA owners will officially meet on June 3, when voting will take place to force Sterling to sell his franchise.

This is not the first time Ballmer has been involved in negotiations to acquire an NBA team. He was also one of the top candidates to purchase the Sacramento Kings, which he intended to relocate to Seattle. However, if he ends up buying the Clippers he has said that he will not look to move the team.