Oprah Winfrey, Patrick Soon-Shiong among those interested in buying Clippers

Oprah Winfrey

There are no guarantees that the other owners will vote to force Donald Sterling to part with the Clippers, which is one way to get him out of the picture, or that Sterling will want to sell the team even after being banned for life from the NBA and fined $2.5 for making racist remarks that ended up being public knowledge.

But NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Tuesday he would push for the team’s sale as part of his sanctions against Sterling. Several individuals have now emerged as potential team owners.

Sterling bought the club for $12.5 million in 1981, but the Clippers’ value now totals at least $575 million, according to Forbes. That ranks the Clippers as the league’s 13th most valuable franchise.

Here’s a list, from today’s Los Angeles Times, of potential bidders, including some who publicly confirmed their interest:

Patrick Soon-Shiong, left, seen here laughing with Pau Gasol, during a college basketball game, currently owns a minority share of the Los Angeles Lakers. (AP)

- David Geffen, whose net worth is estimated by Forbes at $6.2 billion. In an email to The Times Tuesday, his office said Geffen was not available for comment, “but if the Clippers become available, he would be interested in
buying the franchise.” ESPN.com reported on Wednesday that Oprah Winfrey will be one of the partners here.

- Patrick Soon-Shiong. The billionaire doctor, biotech investor and longtime sports fan in Los Angeles previously  bought Johnson’s stake in the Lakers, and he’s believed to be interested in the Clippers, according to The Times.

- Rick Caruso. The billionaire real estate developer told The Times on Monday that he would be interested in leading, or joining, a group that would own the Clippers.

- Magic Johnson. The former Lakers great teamed with Guggenheim Partners in purchasing the Dodgers, and Johnson, with financial backing from Guggenheim, would be interested in the Clippers as well, The Times reported.

- Floyd Mayweather Jr. The boxer told The Times he would like to put “together a group to make an offer and was “very, very interested in buying the Clippers.”

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