The Clippers played 6 games in Anaheim during the 1995-1996 season and sold out every game. During the summer, the league meetings opened with Stern trying to talk Sterling into moving there full time. At one point, it looked like a done deal so much so to the point that the people who ran the Honda Center, then the Arrowhead Pond of Anahaim, had a sign on the dotted line party set up with Sterling and the rest of the Clipper front office people. Champagne was on ice when Sterling had to excuse himself from the party for a second. He said he had to use the restroom. He didn't come back and the deal never happended.
The following year, the Clips only averaged around 14,000 due to having no future in the arena as opposed to the year before when they thought they were setting up for a future with the team. My best guess is the rumors of the Staples Center being built were gaining steam and they told Sterling that they would want him to be a tenant so he backed out of the Anaheim deal.