you are right about Jackson, but who is he represented other than opportunist and race baiters, Jackson doesnt on a sports franchise and was /is very much so damaged by that episode and others.
The Clippers were evaluated at about $575 million. Ballmer is well known for overpaying. He is the man who signed off on the $8.9 billion purchase of Skype. How they will ever monetize that one I have no idea. But that was Microsoft's money. The $2 billion for the Clippers is Ballmer's own money. As an investment it sucks. To do as well as Sterling did the Clippers would have to be worth about $40 to $45 Billion in 30 years. or more. But if Ballmer just wants a toy so he can play fantasy basketball for real thats cool. Its not like he has to earn his living as an NBA owner. He still has $18 billion left in the bank
He's banking on them staying good, being able to move them to Seattle, and since their tv rights are almost up, being able to replicate something similar to what the Lakers pulled off.
How many people in the world? 7 or 8 billion. A mere $2 billion wouldn't even be enough for ramen noodles, a cardboard shanty and T Shirts reading "Auburn, 2014 BCS Champions" Better he buy those Surface Tablets that he was probably responsible for developing. Competing with the iPad and Samsung's Galaxy Tablet that might be the only way Microsoft can sell them all