How does the NBA ruling on the Los Angeles Clippers - Kawhi Leonard salary cap circumvention scandal impact the Boston Celtics? In short, we do not yet know explicitly, but we can draw some conclusions based on what is being reported. The scandal, revolving around allegations that the Clippers and Leonard conspired to circumvent the league's salary cap restrictions with no-show endorsement deals, triggered a surprisingly harsh platter of penalties assessed by the Association on Wednesday, September 2.
Most will not directly affect the Celtics, aimed instead at punishing team owner Steve Ballmer and senior executives for their role in the affair. But the decision to take away five draft picks from the Clippers starting in 2029 is something fans
ought to monitor. For one thing, Boston owns swap rights that may end up impacted by this deal (for the full protections, check the Celtics' entry on this page).
Whether those impacts are positive or not remains to be seen, but the fact that the NBA began their punishment in 2029 seems intentionally chosen with the potential debt to the Celtics in mind. That said however, there is precedent for the league levying the punishment of other teams onto the clubs controlling those picks, as has been reportedabout the NBA's new anti-tanking punishments that might cost the Memphis Grizzlies a top pick thanks to the Utah Jazz' recent lottery luck.
In Boston's potential nightmare scenario, the rights to that pick could be extinguished given the Stepien rule being interpreted as that pic now being unable to be conveyed. Given what we know at present with regard to the timing of the punishment, that feels unlikely, though still worth monitoring until clarified by the NBA.
The ruling may alter the short- and medium-term plans of the Clippers to the Celtics advantage, however, with L.A. becoming a hobbled ball club with few prospects to win between now and when that pick comes due. That, in turn, could lead players to want off the roster when it comes time to re-sign, and other players being dealt to recoup some draft assets, decreasing the team's talent pool and perhaps increasing the value of the pick.
But if the Clippers do tear it down to mine for draft assets and cap space rentals, new lottery reform rules could actually lessen the pick value thanks to the NBA's new lottery rules. In short, we don't yet know how this will impact Boston just yet. But more likely than not, this is at least a net neutral outcome if not a win for value of the best pick coming back from the Jaylen Brown. And more importantly, a win for competitive balance for fans of the NBA.
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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: How does the NBA ruling on Clippers - Kawhi scandal impact the Boston Celtics?
