NBA penalizes Clippers for salary cap circumvention

The NBA issued major sanctions against the Los Angeles Clippers following an investigation into illegal compensation payments to Kawhi Leonard. The league imposed a $30 million fine and stripped the team of five first-round draft picks starting in 2029. Commissioner Adam Silver also suspended owner Steve Ballmer and executive Gillian Zucker for one year, while basketball executive Lawrence Frank received a six-month suspension. Kawhi Leonard faces a $700,000 fine, and former representative Dennis Robertson is banned from league business for five years. The Clippers organization rejected the findings, calling the investigation biased, and announced intentions to challenge the penalties through arbitration. This investigation stems from allegations of an under-the-table contract involving Aspiration that surfaced in September 2025.

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