NBA Docking Clippers 5 1st-Round Picks for Kawhi Leonard Salary Cap Circumvention Stuns Fans – “That is Crippling”

The NBA finds the Los Angeles Clippers to have circumvented the salary cap by helping Kawhi Leonard land endorsement deals.

NBA Docking Clippers 5 1st-Round Picks for Kawhi Leonard Salary Cap Circumvention Stuns Fans – “That is Crippling”

Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and Kawhi Leonard (Image via Alawui Sports/The Aesthetic/X)

The NBA was under pressure to conclude its investigation into the Los Angeles Clippers-Kawhi Leonard salary cap circumvention scandal with the next season about to start in a little over a month.

When investigative journalist Pablo Torre first brought up his findings, the franchise went into defensive mode, labeling the so-called deal with Aspiration as a scam.

They vehemently denied helping their leading superstar get endorsement deals under the table, and reiterated that they had done everything by the book. However, as more and more evidence started piling up, the league could not sit around and not take any action.

They initiated the investigation by bringing in a third party, which meant that the NBA would not be directly involved in the probe. But as time passed, there was growing belief that the league was intentionally delaying the entire process in hopes that interest around it would eventually ‘die down.’

But Leonard’s trade to the Raptors and an ESPN report dismissing all claims made on Torre’s podcast added fuel to the fire, prompting the media and fans to demand that the league take action. Now, they have announced their findings.

Shams Charania revealed that the league did find the Clippers to have circumvented the salary cap and docked five first-round picks starting in 2029, along with fines and suspensions for owner Steve Ballmer and two of its executives.

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Fans react to Clippers’ enormous fines

Fans reading this news understood instantly that the $30 million fine levied on owner Steve Ballmer was pocket change for a man who is the richest sports franchise owner in the world.

However, they also understood that the Los Angeles Clippers are going to feel the pain now that they will not be able to lean on the team’s own next five draft picks. That is, as some labeled it, ‘crippling,’ for a franchise trying to enter a new era. Examples of those reactions are below.

While some might believe the Clippers could have been docked more draft picks, the fact that the team has no players who can be traded for future draft capital is itself another major problem. It seems the team will struggle to remain competitive for a considerable time.

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Clippers reject league findings and will challenge

Knowing how these decisions will cripple the Los Angeles Clippers, they did not waste time coming up with a response to the league’s findings.

The day the Clippers signed Kawhi Leonard
The day the Clippers signed Kawhi Leonard (Image via Bleacher Report/X)

We vehemently reject the NBA’s findings… We intend to vigorously challenge these findings and penalties through every avenue available to us and look forward to an ethical and impartial arbitration process.

Clippers’ statement read
Clippers' statement
Clippers’ statement (Image via SS/X)

This means that they will not only try to defy these fines and punishments, but also challenge them through legal means. That could mean a long, drawn-out process, which will not help their competitive aspirations.

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