Donald Sterling's Lawsuit Against NBA Dismissed: Details, Comments, Reaction

Former Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling's lawsuit against the NBA, league commissioner Adam Silver, his wife, Shelly Sterling, and two doctors was dismissed Wednesday.

Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today reported the news, indicating the U.S. District Court in California put an end to Donald Sterling's suit, which involved the Clippers' sale to ex-Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer for $2 billion in August 2014.

Mike Ozanian of Forbes posted a statement from Pierce O'Connell, the attorney for the former owner's estranged wife:

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The Federal judge's dismissal of Donald Sterling's lawsuit against the NBA, his wife [Shelly], and two doctors puts a merciful end to his quixotic litigation campaign over the sale of the Los Angeles Clippers for the record-shattering price of $2 billion. With all of his other lawsuits dismissed, this is the final chapter. Ironically, Donald, in defeat, is the beneficiary of $2 billion, secured by [Shelly] in her courageous battle in doing the right thing to protect her family and ensure that her beloved team would be sold to a conscientious owner who would take the team to the next level of excellence.

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Per the Los Angeles Times' Nathan Fenno, U.S. District Judge Fernando M. Olguin wrote a 13-page decision Tuesday to dismiss the lawsuit. Olguin stated, in part, that, "the court is skeptical Sterling suffered any injury at all, let alone an antitrust injury."

The litigation involving Sterling has dragged on for years and may still do so. Fenno reported that Sterling's attorney said his client is considering suing state court and appealing the federal dismissal.

What initially sparked the sequence of events that led to Sterling's losing the Clippers was a private conversation he had with a mistress, V. Stiviano, in which he uttered racist remarks that were recorded and released.

TMZ released the audio, and Sterling tried to sue the media outlet and Stiviano, but TMZ was dismissed from the lawsuit in November. Then Sterling dropped the suit against Stiviano entirely in December.

Silver penalized the 81-year-old Sterling with an NBA-maximum $2.5 million fine and a lifetime ban in April 2014.

The Clippers are currently fourth in the Western Conference standings and have experienced continued success despite the ongoing Sterling saga. Now that era of the franchise isn't casting as much of a shadow in light of Wednesday's news.