NBA suspends Steve Ballmer for one year, fines Clippers $30M, penalizes Kawhi Leonard $700,000 in cap circumvention case

The NBA on Wednesday announced severe punishments for the LA Clippers for violating salary cap circumvention rules when they signed star Kawhi Leonard in 2022. The NBA on Wednesday announced severe punishments for the LA Clippers -- including the loss of five future first-round picks and a fine of $30 million -- for violating salary cap circumvention rules when they signed star Kawhi Leonard in 2022 [1].

Sources

1. abc13.com · NBA suspends Steve Ballmer for one year, fines Clippers $30M, penalizes Kawhi Leonard $700,000 in cap circumvention case Sep 3, 2026
2. theverge.com · Steve Ballmer got suspended by the NBA because of a podcast and a jumbotron corruption scandal Sep 3, 2026
3. thehill.com · SEC investigating Daktronics in Kawhi Leonard case Sep 2, 2026
4. cbssports.com · Kawhi Leonard gets best-case scenario, leaves Clippers in the dust after NBA investigation Sep 3, 2026
5. cbssports.com · What can the Clippers do now? Rebuilding after NBA's harshest penalties won't be easy, but there's a blueprint Sep 3, 2026
6. cbssports.com · Revelations from NBA's Clippers investigation: What report says about Uncle Dennis, other companies and more Sep 3, 2026
7. cbssports.com · Why wasn't Kawhi Leonard's contract wasn't voided? The differences vs. NBA's last major cap circumvention case Sep 3, 2026
8. cbssports.com · What's next after NBA's Clippers punishment? Five lingering questions about Kawhi Leonard trade, appeals, more Sep 3, 2026
9. cbssports.com · NBA hammers Clippers, Steve Ballmer for salary cap circumvention as Kawhi Leonard avoids suspension Sep 3, 2026
10. cbssports.com · Clippers 'vehemently reject' NBA's findings in Kawhi Leonard investigation, vow to 'fight' punishments Sep 2, 2026
11. cbssports.com · SEC looking into Kawhi Leonard's endorsement deal with Daktronics as NBA probe continues Sep 2, 2026

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