In a split decision announced Monday, a three-person arbitration panel has sided with prospective Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez in a sales contract dispute against current owner Glen Taylor, allowing them to continue the process to become the majority ownership group.
The ruling sets up a high-stakes vote among fellow NBA owners to decide control of the franchise. The board of governors vote is expected to be timed with the close of sale and final payments.
The arbitrators determined Taylor had violated terms of the sales agreement when he announced last March 28 that Lore and Rodriguez had missed a deadline for a $600 million payment that would've secured an 80% majority control of the teams.