The person, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly, said Shelly Sterling had a signed contract with Ballmer that was sent to the NBA for approval. At least three-quarters of the league's owners must approve the sale.
The person said Donald Sterling does not have to sign off on the agreement because he has been determined to be mentally unfit to make decisions about the family trust, which owns the team with each spouse having a 50% share. The trust spells out provisions and procedures related to the trustees' mental capacity, and an expert determination was made about Donald Sterling that left Shelly Sterling in charge of the trust, the person said.
ARMOUR: $2 billion is much too much
MAGIC: Clippers fans will love Ballmer
Sterling's attorney has maintained that no sale can occur without his approval even though Sterling authorized his wife in writing last week to sell the team. The attorney did not return calls seeking comment late Thursday.
The sale price would shatter the previous record paid for an NBA team, $550 million for the Milwaukee Bucks earlier this month. It would be the second-highest price for a sports franchise in North America, trailing only the $2.1 billion paid for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012.
Shelly Sterling had pushed to find a buyer before Tuesday, when league owners are scheduled to vote on whether to terminate the Sterlings' ownership. The NBA declined to comment Thursday night.
Silver announced on April 29 that he would force a sale of the Clippers after Sterling was heard in an audio recording making racist remarks about African-Americans in a private conversation with his companion, V. Stiviano. The recording was leaked months later to the gossip site TMZ, promptin! g Silver to ban Sterling for life and fine him $2.5 million.
In a scathing 32-page response to the league, Sterling argued that his comments occurred in a private conversation that was illegally recorded under California law, and that he had not broken any NBA rules.
Ballmer, who was chief executive of Microsoft for 14 years, beat out other bidders that included Los Angeles-based investors Tony Ressler and Steve Karsh and a group that included David Geffen, Oprah Winfrey, Larry Ellison and executives from the Guggenheim Group, the Chicago-based owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Ballmer was part of a group headed by hedge-fund manager Chris Hansen that bid last year to buy the Sacramento Kings and move them to Seattle. But Ballmer told The Wall Street Journal earlier this month that he would not want to move the Clippers, should he buy them, because that would hurt the team's value.
Brent Schrotenboer is an investigative and enterprise reporter for USA TODAY Sports. Contact him on Twitter or via e-mail.
GALLERY: Donald Sterling through the years
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Longtime Clippers owner Donald Sterling, shown in 2010, has been banned by the NBA. Flip through this gallery for more of Sterling. Mark J. Terrill, APFullscreen
Sterling and former Los Angeles mayor Tom Bradley pose for a photo in 1987. Andrew D. Bernstein, NBAE/Getty ImagesFullscreen
A portrait of Sterling, who also is a real estate entrepreneur, as he holds a mug and stands near a deck chair in Malibu, Calif., June 1989. Rob Lewine, Time & Life Pictures/Getty ImageFullscreen
Sterling sits courtside during a game in 2010. Danny Moloshok, APFullscreen
Sterling and LaLa Vazquez sit next to each other at a Clippers-Nuggets playoff game, where Vazquez's future husband, Carmelo Anthony, starred for Denver. Garrett Ellwood, NBAE/Getty ImagesFullscreen
Sterling and former GM Elgin Baylor pose after Baylor, who later sued the team for wrongful termination, won the 2005-06 NBA Executive of the Year Award. Andrew D. Bernstein, NBAE/Getty ImagesFullscreen
Sterling smiles during the first round of the 2012 playoffs, when the Clippers beat the Grizzlies. Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY SportsFullscreen
Sterling and wife Shelly attend a game in November 2013. Kirby Lee, USA TODAY SportsFullscreen
Sterling sits courtside at a December 2012 game. Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY SportsFullscreen
Sterling greets fans during December 2012. Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY SportsFullscreen
Sterling takes in player introductions during the 1997 playoffs, when his team lost to the Jazz. Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY SportsFullscreen
Sterling has a laugh with former Clippers star Elton Brand in 2001. Catherine Steenkeste, NBAE/Getty ImagesFullscreen
Sterling talks with former Clippers star Lamar Odom before a 2000 game. Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY SportsFullscreen
Sterling and former NBA commissioner David Stern meet with officials before a Clippers 2012 second-round playoff game vs. the Spurs. Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY SportsFullscreen
Sterling and wife Shelly pose for a photo before a 2012 playoff game. Andrew D. Bernstein NBAE/Getty ImagesFullscreen
Sterling during the 2012 NBA playoffs. Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY SportsFullscreen
Sterling in Nov. 2012. Mark J. Terrill, APFullscreenLike this topic? You may also like these photo galleries:Replay
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