Thursday, February 12, 2009

Elgin Baylor Files Suit Against Clippers Claiming Racism

Elgin Baylor is an NBA Hall of Famer and worked with the Los Angeles Clippers for 22 years before retiring last year. Yesterday Baylor filed a civil suit against the team alleging racism according to the Los Angeles Times. Baylor claims that owner Donald Sterling made the following comments regarding player negotiations and about the team:

The suit alleged NBA Commissioner David Stern was present when Sterling allegedly said of Manning, "I'm offering a lot of money for a poor black kid." That tone was echoed in another alleged incident in which Baylor claimed Sterling told him that "he [Sterling] wanted the Clippers team to be composed of 'poor black boys from the South' and a white head coach."

During Baylor's tenure, the Clippers made the postseason only 3 times and made some truly horrendous draft picks. This suit clearly appears to be about money as Baylor contends that his salary was capped at $350,000 since 2003, while the Clippers gave Mike Dunleavy, who is equally incompetent, a 4 year contract for $22 million.

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