Home / Sports / NBA Sanctions Clippers $30M Over Kawhi Leonard Deal
NBA Sanctions Clippers $30M Over Kawhi Leonard Deal
2 Sep
Summary
- Clippers fined $30 million and forfeit five future first-round picks.
- Owner Steve Ballmer suspended one year for salary cap circumvention.
- Investigation linked Leonard's deal to a now-bankrupt financial company.
The NBA has imposed significant penalties on the Los Angeles Clippers and owner Steve Ballmer following an 11-month investigation into salary cap circumvention. The team has been fined $30 million and will forfeit five first-round draft picks in the 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032, and 2033 NBA drafts. Owner Steve Ballmer received a one-year suspension from all league activities.
The investigation concluded that the Clippers facilitated "no-show" endorsement deals for former star forward Kawhi Leonard. These deals were allegedly linked to Aspiration, a financial services company that had received substantial investment from Ballmer and has since filed for bankruptcy. A report indicated Leonard's contract included clauses that could allow payments without work performed, contingent on him remaining a Clippers player.
Commissioner Adam Silver expressed deep disappointment, citing "flagrant violations" and "institutional and leadership failures." This marks the Clippers' second major violation since Ballmer acquired the franchise in 2014. The ruling significantly impacts the team's future, especially as they were undergoing a rebuild and signaled a desire to build for the future with recent trades.
The situation delayed the execution of a trade to send Leonard to the Toronto Raptors. Both franchises acknowledged the NBA's involvement and the potential for penalties impacting the deal. Now that the investigation has concluded, the Raptors must decide how to proceed with Leonard's suspension looming.
