Steve Ballmer receives one-year NBA ban and Clippers penalized over Kawhi Leonard contract
Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer has been suspended by the NBA for one year, and the team will forfeit five future draft picks and pay a $30 million fine. The penalties stem from an investigation into the team's handling of a player contract.
Steve Ballmer, owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, has received a one-year suspension from the NBA, and his team will forfeit five future draft picks and pay a $30 million fine. The league announced the sanctions on Friday, citing violations related to the team's conduct.
The investigation, initiated last September, centered on a reported $28 million endorsement deal for star player Kawhi Leonard that allegedly involved no actual endorsement duties. At the time, Ballmer had insisted in an ESPN interview that the Clippers were not involved in any improper arrangements regarding the deal.
However, a 35-page report commissioned by the NBA and conducted by Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz found Ballmer's prior claims to be "inaccurate (at best)" and stated that information provided by the Clippers' leadership was "clearly false."
In addition to Ballmer's suspension and the team's forfeiture of draft picks and fine, the NBA has also imposed other penalties on Clippers personnel, including restrictions on the team president. The league stated the measures are intended to uphold the integrity of its rules and competitive balance.