NBA announces penalties and findings arising from investigation of LA Clippers and Kawhi Leonard
A landmark salary-cap circumvention ruling strips the Clippers of five first-round picks, suspends their owner and top executives, and fines the franchise $30 million — the most severe punishment in modern NBA history.
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I am deeply disappointed by the flagrant violations of our rules and by the Clippers' institutional and leadership failures that led to this misconduct.”
I am deeply disappointed by the flagrant violations of our rules and by the Clippers' institutional and leadership failures that led to this misconduct.
Commissioner Silver personally condemns both the rule-breaking and the organizational culture that allowed it to happen.
In context
The NBA and the NBPA have entered into an agreement confirming these penalties are final and binding on all parties. Wachtell Lipton continues to receive information relevant to the investigation, and the league will consider further action as appropriate. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said: “The NBA’s collectively bargained system for determining player compensation is a fundamental component of the basketball competition that the league oversees for the benefit of the teams and players and ultimately the fans. I am deeply disappointed by the flagrant violations of our rules and by the Clippers’ institutional and leadership failures that led to this misconduct. The severity of the penalties…
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The Clippers induced four corporate partners to sign Kawhi Leonard endorsement deals by offering them team business in return — a quid pro quo at the heart of the league's most severe cap-circumvention ruling.
Four corporate partners were leveraged with team business to fund Leonard's endorsement income, making this the worst cap-circumvention case the league has ruled on.
In context
NEW YORK, Sept. 2, 2026 – The NBA announced today that the LA Clippers and Kawhi Leonard have been penalized for violating the salary cap circumvention rules contained in the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA). This determination was based upon information developed through an independent investigation conducted by the law firm of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz. The investigation found a pattern of misconduct and multiple significant rules violations by the Clippers organization, a prior offender of the salary cap circumvention rules. As described in a summary report prepared by Wachtell Lipton, available here, the Clippers…
Receipt
Steve Ballmer is suspended for one year for knowingly seeking to help Leonard obtain off-court income — and for failing to create conditions under which his organization abided by the rules.
The owner himself faces a year-long ban for personally directing and enabling the scheme from the top.
In context
The Clippers are fined $30 million. Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is suspended from all league and team activities for one year for knowingly seeking to help Mr. 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. 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 investigat…
Steve Ballmer is suspended from all league and team activities for one year for knowingly seeking to help Mr. 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 failing to create conditions under which his organization abided by the rules.
Receipt
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.
The team's business president bears the heaviest operational blame and compounded it by lying to investigators.
In context
Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is suspended from all league and team activities for one year for knowingly seeking to help Mr. 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. 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.
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The severity of the penalties reflects the seriousness of the violations.
Silver signals that the punishments were calibrated to match the gravity of the offenses, not issued as token discipline.
In context
The NBA and the NBPA have entered into an agreement confirming these penalties are final and binding on all parties. Wachtell Lipton continues to receive information relevant to the investigation, and the league will consider further action as appropriate. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said: “The NBA’s collectively bargained system for determining player compensation is a fundamental component of the basketball competition that the league oversees for the benefit of the teams and players and ultimately the fans. I am deeply disappointed by the flagrant violations of our rules and by the Clippers’ institutional and leadership failures that led to this misconduct. The severity of the penalties…
Receipt
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