Shams: NBA Finally Punishes the Clippers (& Slaps Wrist of Kawhi)

[Donoghus]

Clippers get the hammer. Kawhi not so much. 

Shams Charania
@ShamsCharania
BREAKING: The NBA has ruled on the Los Angeles Clippers in for salary cap circumvention investigations on Kawhi Leonard after yearlong probe -- stripping the franchise of 5 first-round picks, issuing a $30 million fine to owner Steve Ballmer and suspensions for Ballmer, Lawrence Frank and Gillian Zucker, sources tell ESPN.

Kawhi Leonard will have to pay $700,000 in restitution for improper benefits by the Clippers for his uncle and former business rep, Dennis Robertson. No contract void or suspension for Leonard. And Robertson -- who was fired by Leonard in June -- is being banned by the NBA from all business dealings.

[Phantom255x]

WOW! The 2028 Clippers pick not being involved in this is massive for our purposes, and LAC really doesn't have many avenues to improve now

[Atzar]

Interesting decision to blast the Clippers from orbit while doing pretty much nothing to Kawhi.  I would have thought both would be held liable for an agreement both entered willingly.  Guess not.

[Donoghus]

Shams Charania
@ShamsCharania
?
5m
Per NBA: The Clippers shall forfeit five first-round draft picks, one in each of the 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032, and 2033 NBA Drafts.

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.

Clippers President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank is suspended without pay for six months for his involvement with the impermissible endorsement arrangements and for approving impermissible expenses incurred by Mr. Leonard and his family.

The Clippers organization and personnel are subject to a compliance and monitoring program overseen by the league office for a period of five years.

[slamtheking]

not enough of a punishment for Kawhi.  should have had his contract nullified and fined for the amount he's already collected OR have the rest of his contract nullified and banned from the league for 2 years.  (I'd go 3 years personally or preferably a lifetime ban to really put an end to this type of garbage)

[Donoghus]

not enough of a punishment for Kawhi.  should have had his contract nullified and fined for the amount he's already collected OR have the rest of his contract nullified and banned from the league for 2 years.  (I'd go 3 years personally or preferably a lifetime ban to really put an end to this type of garbage)

I think that was trying not to poke the stick too hard at the hornets' nest that is the NBPA while nuking the Clippers on "integrity".

[Atzar]

I kind of wonder if Kawhi's non-punishment might be an implied suspicion that most NBA players are doing this on some level and they don't want to have to ban half the league if more stuff surfaces. 

EDIT:  Also what Donoghus said.

[Ilikesports17]

That makes the final math on the Paul George and Kawhi Leonard acquisitions:

10 first rounds picks, 2 1st round swaps, SGA and Danillo Gallinari for 1 single trip to the conference finals.

[slamtheking]

not enough of a punishment for Kawhi.  should have had his contract nullified and fined for the amount he's already collected OR have the rest of his contract nullified and banned from the league for 2 years.  (I'd go 3 years personally or preferably a lifetime ban to really put an end to this type of garbage)

I think that was trying not to poke the stick to hard at the hornets' nest that is the NBPA while nuking the Clippers on "integrity".

I think that's a hornets nest that has to be kicked though.  either shut it down entirely or work it into the CBA. 

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Should've suspended Leonard. But maybe they figure he already misses so many games due to injury that it's equivalent to being suspended.

[Goldstar88]

Not surprised they went easy on Kawhi. He is still a star in the league. Off to Toronto he goes.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

not enough of a punishment for Kawhi.  should have had his contract nullified and fined for the amount he's already collected OR have the rest of his contract nullified and banned from the league for 2 years.  (I'd go 3 years personally or preferably a lifetime ban to really put an end to this type of garbage)

I think that was trying not to poke the stick to hard at the hornets' nest that is the NBPA while nuking the Clippers on "integrity".

I think that's a hornets nest that has to be kicked though.  either shut it down entirely or work it into the CBA.

Feels like they are making Ballmer, Frank, and Zucker the fall guys.

Pretty ridiculous that Leonard is paying the equivallent of like a $1000 fine for a normal person. You can't tell me he didn't know what was going on as he cashed checks for tens of millions of dollars.

Honestly, very on-brand for Silver. He once again is placating the players and handling them with kiddie gloves in fear of reprucussions.

[Jiri Welsch]

Kawhi avoiding all culpability.

He was just an innocent bystander who was taken advantage of!!

I guess this follows the Joe Smith precedent almost entirely. Team loses 5 first rounders, head honcho is suspended a year, player doesn't really get punished severely. Although I think in Smith's case his contract was voided.

[celts55]

Stupid question, but why don?t start losing picks until 2029?

[Donoghus]

Stupid question, but why don?t start losing picks until 2029?

OKC has swap rights with them for 2027 and they don't own 2028.