I think we all know the answer to that question is probably no. The social pressure put upon the NBA would not have been the same and hence the punishment would not be the same. This whole thing is primarily about $$$$$$$$$$$.
Frankly, I understand why the NBA did what they did. I also don't think the NBA needed to proactively take Sterling's team from him and it would have probably gotten the result it wanted. They could have reprimanded him severely, fined him, taken other action and the whole thing would have worked itself out. No players would want to sign with his team with him as owner. The problem would have sorted itself out entirely on it's own. I get why they took the action they took. But I suspect he might have been more likely to sell the team had the league reprimanded him in another way and let things take their course. As it stands now it is prone to be an ongoing shit storm of a legal battle. No real harm in that course either save it will be a nonstop talking head fest.
As for Cuban - he is being honest. If you are walking down the street and see someone you think might hurt you walking towards you, you are going to be apprehensive. That's human nature.