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The Clippers, Kawhi Leonard and the most damaging swing-and-a-miss in NBA history
Yahoo Sports • • general
Key Points:
- In 2019, the Los Angeles Clippers signed Kawhi Leonard and traded for Paul George, aiming to build a championship contender, but an NBA investigation revealed they circumvented the salary cap through off-the-books endorsement deals.
- The NBA penalized the Clippers by stripping five first-round draft picks from 2029 to 2033, matching the severity of a similar 2000 case, severely impacting the team's future rebuilding efforts.
- Clippers owner Steve Ballmer was fined $30 million and banned from league activities for one year for knowingly facilitating improper endorsement arrangements, damaging his reputation and raising questions about organizational oversight.
- Kawhi Leonard accepted responsibility for lapses in judgment within his inner circle and was fined $700,000, with no suspension or contract voiding; the players' union agreed to the penalties.
- The Clippers vehemently deny the findings and plan to challenge the sanctions legally, while the NBA emphasized the seriousness of the violations and the lasting consequences for the franchise.
