Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is in the middle of a massive punishment from the NBA. The NBA has suspended Ballmer from all league and team activities for one year following a yearlong investigation into salary cap circumvention involving star forward Kawhi Leonard.
Amid the massive dilemma he is facing, Ballmer received unexpected advice from NBA analyst and insider Brian Windhorst. On ESPN’s Get Up show, Windhorst called for Ballmer to be calm and accept a plea deal, in the hopes that the punishment would be reduced.
“I know Steve Ballmer a little bit. And I understand when you’re worth $150 billion and you’re angry, and he’s very clearly angry, you can’t advise him. You can’t talk to him,” Windhorst said. “I’d be stunned if his lawyers didn’t advise him, as Shams said, to make a plea deal, because he should have made a plea deal. Well, I’m going to give him some advice here. He won’t listen to me, but I’m going to give him some advice. I would accept this penalty.”
LA Clippers Can Look At The Precedent Of The NBA’s Salary Cap Circumvention Scandal
Windhorst cited the precedent of the NBA’s salary circumvention scandal.
In 2000, then-NBA commissioner David Stern stripped the Minnesota Timberwolves of five consecutive first-round picks (2001–2005) and handed down a $3.5 million fine and suspensions for team executives following an illegal under-the-table contract agreement with forward Joe Smith.
However, after the team fully cooperated with the league’s ongoing directives, the NBA later gave back their 2003 and 2005 first-round selections, leaving the final penalty at three lost picks.
“I think the Clippers can survive this because they’re immediately going to be able to get two first-round picks back for Kawhi Leonard,” Windhorst said, referring to the Leonard trade to the Toronto Raptors. “The NBA could have voided this contract. They gave the player who has value; they left him stay there. The second thing is, back in 2000, when the Minnesota Timberwolves were given a similar hit, five first-round draft picks, when they cooperated with the NBA and kept their nose clean. They got two of those picks back. You hear it’s a five-pick penalty; it ended up only being three.
“They don’t have this penalty until 2029. Chill, accept the penalty, mitigate yourself going forward.”
NBA’s Punishments To LA Clippers And Kawhi Leonard
In addition to losing these premium assets, the Clippers organization was fined $30 million. The league also placed the team’s entire personnel and front office under a strict compliance and monitoring probation program for the next five years to ensure total financial transparency moving forward.
In addition to Ballmer, the NBA also suspended the team’s President of Business Operations, Gillian Zucker, who was suspended without pay for one year after investigators labeled her culpable for the illicit deals.
Additionally, President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank received a six-month suspension without pay for his direct involvement.
Leonard himself avoided a league suspension, ensuring his planned blockbuster trade back to the Toronto Raptors can proceed, but Leonard was slapped with a $700,000 fine for failing to report the illegal solicitations.
His uncle and former business manager, Dennis Robertson, was banned from doing business or engaging with any NBA team or its affiliates for the next five years after the league’s determination.
Leonard will now play for the Raptors next season.
Clippers Owner Steve Ballmer Receives Unexpected Advice From NBA Analyst