Donald Sterling, the embattled Los Angeles Clippers owner banned for life by the NBA for racist remarks, says he doubts players will strike if he still controls the team next season.
In portions of a CNN interview, released on Wednesday, he said salaries would be more important that spiting him.
"That's talk. The media pushes that. Why would they do that? If they get their salaries, they are going to play."
Miami Heat superstar LeBron James says players are pleased with the actions of NBA commissioner Adam Silver to ban and fine Sterling and they understand the process to remove the 80-year-old as owner will take time.
"The direction Adam is going and the NBA is going, there should not be a need for (a strike)," James said. "We trust those guys and we know they are going to take care of what needs to be done for our league and we understand that it's not going to be done tomorrow."
There had been talk of a walkout during the playoffs in the days after Sterling's comments first surfaced but that tension eased when Silver banished Sterling for life.
Sterling's troubles began late last month when a recording of him making racist comments were posted online by TMZ, Sterling saying he did not want his girlfriend bringing black people to Clippers games or posting photos of herself with black people on social media websites.
Sterling has later claimed he was trying to seduce the much-younger woman, known only as V Stiviano, to whom he had already given money and expensive gifts.
While a firm timetable is not set, Silver said on Monday the league's board of governors "is continuing with its process to remove Mr Sterling as expeditiously as possible".
Sterling apologised in a portion of the CNN interview aired earlier but, in doing so, insulted NBA legend Magic Johnson, prompting Silver to issue an apology to Johnson from the NBA for Sterling's latest comments.
In comments released on Wednesday, Sterling asks, "What am I, a Frankenstein? What am I, some kind of ogre?
"I'm a good person. I'm a warm person. I say hello to everybody who comes to the team."
The Clippers trail Oklahoma City 3-2 in their best-of-second Western Conference second-round playoff series with game six on Thursday in Los Angeles.
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