Clippers sale to Steve Ballmer finalized

The NBA announced that Steve Ballmer’s $2-billion purchase of the Clippers had closed on Tuesday, making the former Microsoft CEO the undisputed owner of the team.

The transaction ends a fractious period of nearly four months in which owner Donald Sterling fought to retain control of the team he had presided over for three decades. A judge affirmed the right of Shelly Sterling, Donald’s estranged wife, to wrest control of the team from her husband and sell it to Ballmer.

Ballmer’s lawyer, Adam Streisand, said the agreement to sell the Clippers quickly finalized after Judge Michael Levanas signed the final order Tuesday morning permitting the sale.