NBA suspends Clippers owner Ballmer, fines team $30M

The NBA announced sweeping sanctions against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday for violating wage cap circumvention rules, suspending owner Steve Ballmer for one year, fining the franchise $30 million and stripping the team of five future first‑round draft picks. In addition, two‑time NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard received a $700,000 fine, president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank was barred from team activities for six months and chief operating officer Gillian Zucker was suspended for one year. The Clippers will forfeit one first‑round selection in each draft from 2029 through 2033. The penalties followed an approximately year‑long investigation conducted by an outside law firm. The franchise had repeatedly maintained it had done nothing wrong and expected to be cleared. Leonard remarked in April, “I deliberation that we’re going to beryllium successful the clear,” Leonard said successful April, “so I’m not stressing it.” Frank added, “If you cognize Steve and cognize Steve’s integrity, you cognize there’s thing to it. We judge and we’ve precise assured we’re connected the close broadside of this.” The organization stood by that position on Wednesday, issuing a statement that read, “We vehemently cull the NBA’s findings, which are the effect of a heavy biased probe seeking to warrant a predetermined communicative alternatively than facts and evidence,” the squad said successful a statement. “What the league told america privately differs from what it announced contiguous publicly, and they person not held themselves adjacent to the modular Commissioner (Adam) Silver acceptable astat the commencement of this probe to guarantee its fairness and accuracy.” The statement continued, “We mean to vigorously situation these findings and penalties done each avenue disposable to america and look guardant to an ethical and impartial arbitration process.” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said, “I americium profoundly disappointed by the flagrant violations of our rules and by the Clippers’ organization and enactment failures that led to this misconduct,” Silver said successful a statement. “The severity of the penalties reflects the seriousness of the violations.” The league noted that it and the players’ association have agreed the penalties are final and binding on all parties, and that the outside firm continues to hold information related to the investigation, with the NBA reserving the right to take further action as appropriate. The investigation began in September 2025 after a report by writer Pablo Torre questioned whether a $28 million endorsement agreement between Leonard and Aspiration Fund Adviser LLC—a firm that filed for bankruptcy the previous year—breached league rules. Earlier this year, Aspiration co‑founder Joseph Sanberg was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to defrauding investors and lenders of at least $248 million. The Clippers released a letter from Ballmer’s counsel David Kelley to Silver in which Kelley described the probe as “a witch hunt” and the ensuing penalties as a “gross injustice.” Kelley wrote, “League counsel has acknowledged successful our discussions that the league does not judge determination was an statement betwixt the Clippers and Aspiration to funnel wealth to Kawhi Leonard. League counsel besides agreed with the Department of Justice, the Securities and