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The skeletons in Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling's closet have been a poorly kept secret for years -- and now they're a matter of public record. According to the Los Angeles Times, Sterling and his wife have agreed to pay a whopping $2.725 million to make a federal lawsuit alleging housing discrimination go away.

Although Sterling, who runs his real estate empire as competently as his NBA team, officially denies any wrongdoing, the fact remains that the settlement, once officially approved by a U.S. District judge, is projected to go down as the largest ever obtained by the Justice Department in a housing discrimination case.

Even if Sterling is officially allowed to save face by calling the settlement a business decision (a "compromise of disputed claims," according to court documents obtained by the Times) instead of an admission of guilt, it's still a black stain on the NBA -- and one it needs to address.

Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial-Appeal emptied his notebook on the paper's Grizzlies blog. The most incredible (if not uncredible) rumor had Clippers owner Donald Sterling nixing a trade which would have sent troubled/troubling Zach Randolph to Memphis for Darko Milicic and Greg Buckner. Darko instead went to the Knicks for Quentin Richardson and cash. Z-Bo remains directly in Blake Griffin's path and peripheral vision.

I have absolutely no clue why Sterling would nix a deal like this. The Clippers had nearly a full season to realize Randolph isn't worth it. He scores frequently but inefficiently, which is spyspeak for "he takes way too many shots." He's a great rebounder ... but so are Marcus Camby, Chris Kaman and Griffin. Randolph will make more than $33 million over the next two seasons, while Darko (a far better defender than Z-Bo) has a $7.5-million contract which expires after 2009-10 and Buckner's contract can be bought out for about $2 million.

Peter Keating's recent ESPN The Magazine story on the troubling background of Clippers owner Donald Sterling ends on a contemplative if uncomfortable note. After a 5,000-word narrative on Sterling's forays into racism, sexism, misogyny and the owner's complete lack of self-awareness -- all reported in painful detail -- Keating leaves the reader with a bit of a question: why isn't anyone in the NBA stopping him?

It's an uncomfortable question, not just for Secaucus or fellow owners or Sterling's players. It's uncomfortable for NBA fans, too.

Moments after learning that his team had won the 2009 NBA Draft lottery, Clippers president Andy Roeser had a look of euphoria. Within an hour later, he was already back to work taking questions from reporters in a post-lottery conference call.

Roeser didn't come right out and say the Clippers were going to draft Blake Griffin, but he certainly didn't hold back any compliments when talking about him, either.

For a full transcript of his comments, from his thoughts on Mike Dunleavy's job security ("We have every intention of opening camp with Coach Dunleavy this year -- although I think that we have every intention of approaching some things differently, too.") to his not-so-vague comments about which veterans need to improve ("Baron Davis did not have a particularly good season. He knows that; we know that."), keep reading.

Stop ringing Thursday's alarm system, y'all, as Isiah Thomas will not be drawing a paycheck from the Los Angeles Clippers any time soon. In fact, reports Lisa Dillman of the Los Angeles Times (via CN), Isiah approached the Clippers asking to work for them pro bono because his daughter will attend college in Southern California next season.

Current coach and general manager Mike Dunleavy listened to the (very!) generous offer, but declined.

Few terms in the NBA lexicon draw more guffaws of pity than "Los Angeles Clippers." One term which certainly has a case would be "Isiah Thomas." In fact, in a tournament of Most Hilariously Bad Things About the NBA, the Clips and Isiah would assuredly be one seeds (along with Darko Milicic and the microfiber ball).

It may pique your interest then, that according to ESPN.com's Chris Sheridan, Isiah recently discussed a potential role in the Clippers front office with team owner Donald Sterling. Stock up on beans and barricade the doors, my friends.

Over the weekend, the Boston Globe offered up a report suggesting the Clippers could be looking to replace Mike Dunleavy as general manager this summer. In 2006, Dunleavy, you may remember, signed a fat extension that pays him more than $5 million a year and runs through 2011. Either way, Clippers owner Donald Sterling is willing to take on the losses by either canning Dunleavy or forcing him to reliniguish his personnel duties and have him focus on coaching.

To that effect, KNBC in Los Angeles reports that the Clippers recently reached out to Lakers legend Jerry West regarding to GM position. Surprising no one, West apparently declined.

It would be disingenuous for me to fail to prequalify any comments I have about Clippers owner Donald Sterling with the admission that I think he's a complete skeez. So: I think Donald Sterling is a complete skeez. I have little respect for him as an NBA owner, or as a man.

But this is basketball, and Sterling is (in theory) a basketball man, and so let's talk about basketball, man. According to numerous reports, including one from Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times, Sterling entered the locker room after the Clippers' Monday loss to San Antonio and berated the entire team. According to Branson Wright of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Sterling told Al Thornton that he was the most selfish player he'd ever seen and told coach Mike Dunleavy to shut up.

The Clippers didn't wait long to respond to Elgin Baylor's suit alleging unfair treatment and race-based discrimination. According to Lisa Dillman of the Los Angeles Times, a statement put out by the team denies Baylor was ever treated differently because of his race and actually blames Baylor for the team's decades of losing.

Meanwhile, team owner Donald Sterling (who seems central to most of the allegations) offered up disbelief that Baylor would sue.

The odd divorce between the Clippers and long-time GM/NBA legend Elgin Baylor confused everyone -- not because we believed Baylor deserved to keep his job in perpetuity, but because of the timing and circumstances. A day after the world realized Mike Dunleavy and Andy Roeser had taken over his duties, Baylor discussed the possibility of a lawsuit owing to the conditions of his sacking.

That day has come, as the Los Angeles Daily News reports Baylor has sued the Clippers, with longtime boss Donald Sterling named in the complaint.