NBA owners join condemnation of comments attributed to Donald Sterling

The national condemnation of racist comments attributed to Clippers owner Donald Sterling includes several fellow NBA owners.

While many owners remained silent or deferred to the rapid investigation of the matter promised by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, other team owners spoke out against one of their own.

“If @TMZ recording is true, we must have zero tolerance. Fully support commish Silver @NBA,” Kings owner Vivek Ranadive tweeted.

Full coverage: The Donald Sterling controversy

In a statement, Heat owner Micky Arison said Sterling’s alleged comments were “appalling, offensive and very sad.”

Spurs CEO Peter Holt adopted a more cautious tone, but noted Sterling’s extended history of racial missteps.

“I want to be very careful,” Holt told the San Antonio Express-News. “The league is doing its own investigation and I don’t want to jump the gun. I don’t know the context, but from what I’ve heard it sounds bad and it isn’t like this is the first go-around for him.”

Michael Jordan, the Bobcats owner and NBA Hall of Famer, said in a statement issued Sunday that he was “obviously disgusted” by Sterling’s comments and there is no place in the league for such views.

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Twitter: @nathanfenno