The NBA came down hard on the Los Angeles Clippers for violating salary cap circumvention rules.
The league announced significant penalties and fines for the Clippers organization, owner Steve Ballmer, former star Kawhi Leonard and other team executives in relation to their role in the scandal after releasing the findings of an 11-month independent investigation.
A law firm commissioned by the NBA determined the Clippers facilitated alleged "no-show" endorsement deals for Leonard with at least four different companies following an initial "Pablo Torre Reports" investigation into Leonard's dealings with the Clippers and team sponsor, Aspiration Partners. The investigation also revealed the Clippers, who are considered a repeat offender by the NBA,
broke rules by paying for personal expenses on behalf of Leonard and his representatives in a manner not allowed under NBA rules.
Commissioner Adam Silver is not taking the matter lightly, saying in a statement, "the severity of the penalties reflects the seriousness of the violations." The Clippers have vehemently denied the allegations and responded Wednesday that they will continue to challenge the findings from the league's investigation.
Here's a breakdown of the punishment handed out by the NBA to the Los Angeles Clippers, Kawhi Leonard, owner Steve Ballmer and more after an investigation into the team's violations of the league's salary-cap circumvention rules:
Clippers punishment from NBA investigation
- The Clippers forfeited five first-round draft picks, one in each of the 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032 and 2033 NBA Drafts.
- The Clippers were fined $30 million.
- The Clippers organization and personnel are subject to a compliance and monitoring program overseen by the NBA league office for five years.
- Clippers President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank is suspended without pay for six months for his involvement with arranging the impermissible endorsement deals and approving impermissible expenses incurred by Leonard and his family.
- Clippers President of Business Operations Gillian Zucker is suspended without pay for one year for being "primarily and directly culpable for the impermissible endorsement arrangements and for providing false and misleading statements to investigators."
What penalties did Steve Balmer receive?
- Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is suspended from all league and team activities for one year for knowingly seeking to help Leonard obtain off-court income opportunities, for approving a business deal that he knew was a precondition for Aspiration to enter into an endorsement agreement with Mr. Leonard, and for his failure to create conditions under which his organization abided by the NBA’s circumvention rules.
What penalties did Kawhi Leonard receive?
- Leonard received a $700,000 fine.
- Leonard's former associate, Dennis Robertson, is banned for five years "from conducting business or otherwise engaging with NBA teams and their affiliates on behalf of or with respect to any player, employee, or other league or team personnel."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What punishment did the Clippers get? NBA releases full list of penalties
