Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban says NBA faces 'slippery slope' if it starts to kick owners out of the league for things they think and say in private.

"I think you've got to be very, very careful when you start making blanket statements about what people say and think, as opposed to what they do. It's a very, very slippery slope.

"In this country, people are allowed to be morons," Cuban said. "They're allowed to be stupid. They're allowed to think idiotic thoughts. ... Within an organization like the NBA, we try to do what's in the best interest of the league and that's why we have a commissioner and a constitution and I think Adam will be smart and deal with Donald with the full extent available. But, again, if you're saying a blanket, 'Let's kick him out?' I don't want to go that far because it's not about Donald, it's not about his position, it's about his mess - and what are we going to make a decision on?"

Cuban called it "damn scary" to consider removing somebody from the NBA because of their private thoughts.

"He's obviously racist, he's obviously bigoted. And in this day and age when you're in the public eye, you've got to be damn careful - if that's your position and that's unfortunately where you're at - you better be damn careful what you say, even in the privacy of your own home.

"But regardless of your background, regardless of the history they have, if we're taking something somebody said in their home and we're trying to turn it into something that leads to you being forced to divest property in any way, shape or form, that's not the United States of America. I don't want to be part of that."

Read more: Mark Cuban slams Clippers owner Donald Sterling as a bigot, but says 'people are allowed to be morons'* - NY Daily News