After a yearlong investigation into alleged circumvention of the salary cap by the LA Clippers, the NBA announced the findings and the punishments for the franchise.
According to ESPN, the Clippers have been stripped for five future first-round picks from 2029 to 2033. Team owner Steve Ballmer received a $30 million fine and was suspended for one year.
Clippers president of business operations Gillian Zucker was handed a one-year suspension without pay, while president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank will serve a six-month suspension without pay.
Kawhi Leonard, whose trade to the Toronto Raptors is expected to get completed soon, didn’t receive any suspension. However, Leonard was ordered to pay the NBA $700,000.
More Details on Steve Ballmer’s Suspension
Joe Vardon of The Athletic broke down Steve Ballmer’s suspension and shared more details on the punishment.
“According to sources with direct knowledge of league rules, who spoke anonymously to speak freely about deliberations inside league and team front offices, and based on what happened in Taylor’s suspension, there is to be no attendance at games or practices — for their or any of the other 29 NBA teams,” Vardon wrote. “No appearances at the NBA All-Star Game or Emirates Cup, finals, draft or combine.”
And if the LA Clippers make the playoffs next season, the suspension will still be in effect.
Ballmer is also not allowed to influence decisions about the team on and off the court. He has to hire an interim president of basketball operations due to Lawrence Frank’s suspension. He will also have to appoint an interim governor to take over the franchise during his suspension.
One potential option to be interim governor, according to Vardon, is Dennis J. Wong, a Clippers minority owner.
The billionaire is also not allowed to speak to the media about anything Clippers on the court. He can continue to defend himself from the salary cap circumvention allegations and the league’s punishment.
Ballmer’s Options After Suspension
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Steve Ballmer can’t appeal or take it to arbitration to challenge the NBA’s findings and suspensions. Ballmer can take it to court, which will likely happen after the LA Clippers’ official statement about the ruling.
Joe Vardon also mentioned two previous owners who were suspended by the NBA over the past 30 years.
Former Minnesota Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor negotiated a settlement with the league to reduce his suspension to nine months.
On the other hand, former Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver decided to sell his team less than two weeks after starting his suspension.
According to Vardon, Ballmer is not expected to sell the Clippers and will likely exhaust his options to fight the NBA and save his reputation.
Steve Ballmer NBA Suspension: More Details on LA Clippers Owner’s Punishment