In an interview on CBS’ “Face the Nation” this morning, Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti said that he spoke with Clippers’ owner Donald Sterling, and will continue to pressure him to sell the team.

However, Garcetti also said that he believes the 80-year-old Sterling — banned from the NBA for life on Tuesday after TMZ released audio of his racist remarks — isn’t going to relinquish the franchise quickly. The NBA’s Board of Governors can force him to sell with a three-quarters vote, but Sterling can elect to drag his case out in court.

“I think that he thinks he’s going to be the owner for a long time,” Garcetti told CBS’ Bob Schieffer. “That he wants to stay the owner. And I said this will be a long protracted fight, and a painful thing for a city that is a great city, a great American city. … To fight this for a long time only means the value of the team goes down, but more importantly, that this debate rages on forever. And I think we need to put an end to it.” Continue reading “Mayor Eric Garcetti says Donald Sterling thinks he will remain Clippers’ owner” »