Some players feel for the magnitude of the task Silver is facing.

"What, he's been three months on the job? And he has to deal with an issue like this," Washington's Garrett Temple said of Silver. "It's unfair to him. ... It's going to be a difficult situation for him to take care of, and he's probably going to act swiftly as he said. And he needs to do so. It's a very tough issue. A lot of different sides. But it's more than basketball."

The situation has elicited some incredibly sharp comments from players, with LeBron James and Kobe Bryant making no effort to hide their disgust.

"I couldn't play for him," Bryant wrote on Twitter.

Added former Clippers guard Baron Davis, also in a tweet: "Been going on for a long time."

Sterling has been the subject of many past controversies but this, particularly at playoff time and with his own team a potential title contender, has perhaps generated more outcry than the others combined. Even President Barack Obama addressed the issue Sunday at a news conference in Malaysia.

The next move will be made by Silver.

"The commissioner," Indiana's Paul George said, "is going to make the right call."

AP Sports Writers Antonio Gonzalez, Michael Marot and Joseph White and Associated Press Writer John Rogers contributed to this report.