NBA owners committee meets again to discuss Donald Sterling’s removal

The NBA’s advisory and finance committee met via conference call Wednesday and addressed the process and timing regarding the termination of Donald Sterling’s ownership of the Clippers, according to a statement released by the NBA.

The committee, which vowed last week to work “expeditiously” toward prying the team from Sterling, planned to meet again next week.

It is made up of 10 NBA owners, including Jeanie Buss of the Lakers, who could not be reached for immediate comment.

The committee also reviewed the status of the search for a new chief executive for the Clippers. Andy Roeser, the team executive in charge of business operations, took a forced leave of absence Tuesday. He was regarded as Sterling’s right-hand man.

The committee was briefed on meetings held this week between NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum and Clippers employees at the team’s offices at Staples Center. The employees were asked questions about Sterling and, to a lesser degree, Roeser.

Sterling was banned for life last week from all NBA activities after a controversial audio recording surfaced in which he made inflammatory comments about blacks. The league is urging him to sell the team, and a vote by the 30 NBA teams, including the Clippers, is expected at some point.

The league is confident it will receive the necessary three-fourths majority vote to force Sterling to sell.

If that happens Sterling could prolong the process by suing the league.

Minnesota Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor is the chairman of the advisory and finance committee, which meets occasionally but has convened recently specifically to discuss Sterling.