It is my belief all the responsibly shouldn’t be on the Clippers players, but the entire NBA. Yes, you need owners in every sport, but without players there aren’t any owners or any leagues.
If the players do boycott they should do it as a united front and support the Clippers, don’t leave them hanging out to dry because they didn’t deserve this.
In an article by SI.com explaning possible punishments for Donald Sterling, they mention something very interesting if the players organzied a boycott.
Clippers players would send a powerful message to Sterling by boycotting a game. Such a maneuver, however, would be in direct violation of their employment contracts. The players would be suspended by the NBA and potentially face significant fines, especially since the NBA would have to refund money to those fans buying tickets. It is worth noting, however, that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibits employers from fining individuals for opposing discrimination. NBA contracts can also not “contract around” civil rights protections, meaning NBA players who boycott games over an owners’ racism may be protected under the law.
Lot of legal issues there, but not impossible, something all the players should keep in mind.