My problem with it is twofold:
1. As Barto already addressed:
An unrepentant, openly racist person owns an NBA team. In a modern society, this simply can't be.
I have a HUGE problem with this. I am not defending Sterling one bit, and I think this views are 100% indefensible. So let's just get that out of the way from the get go. HOWEVER, no matter how offensive his views may be, when exactly did we as a society decide that out position was going to be: If your views offend me, you forfeit the right to own property? As Barto said, this is a road we should not be going down. At all. As wrong as Sterling is, this is even more wrong. Last I checked, I thought we were against the idea of "thought police" in this society.
2. Whether the recording is legal or illegal (and everything I am aware of seems to point toward it being illegal, but whatever), it was still a private conversation between two and only two people. Sterling was not making policy on behalf of the NBA or even his team. He was not speaking in the public where he could be deemed the voice of the team. It was a private conversation. As such, I have a problem with the NBA taking action
based on this conversation. If they want to take action based on his policies or things he does in the public, so be it. But a private conversation between two people should not be the basis for any action.