NBA suspends Steve Ballmer and penalizes Los Angeles Clippers for salary cap violations

The NBA issued a one-year suspension to Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer on Wednesday, September 3, following an investigation into salary cap circumvention. The league found that the organization funneled $28 million in unauthorized endorsement payments to forward Kawhi Leonard to supplement his contract. In addition to the suspension, the Clippers must pay a $30 million fine and forfeit five first-round draft picks spanning from 2029 through 2033. Team executives Gillian Zucker and Lawrence Frank also received multi-month suspensions without pay for their roles in the scheme. Leonard has been ordered to pay a $700,000 fine, though his contract remains active amid ongoing discussions regarding a potential trade to the Toronto Raptors.

• 5:17 PMYahoo Sports — Steve Ballmer, suspended Clippers owner, has deep roots in Detroit