Sport: Basketball Country: England Category: Transactions

Steve Ballmer suspended amid Clippers salary cap investigation

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 14, 2026, 10:30 AM

Last updated Sep 14, 2026

Steve Ballmer suspended amid Clippers salary cap investigation

Summary

Steve Ballmer, owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, has been suspended for a year by the NBA following a report that the team circumvented the salary cap. The investigation revealed secret sponsorship deals related to signing star forward Kawhi Leonard. In addition to Ballmer's suspension, the Clippers will forfeit five future first-round draft picks and face a $30 million fine. Ballmer, who has the highest net worth among sports team owners at $156 billion, stated that the team will comply with the penalties. Other owners, including Mark Walter and Jed York, are also facing scrutiny for separate issues.

Source Links

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Key Details

•Ballmer's total wealth is $156 billion, the highest among sports owners.
•The Clippers are fined $30 million and lose five future draft picks.
•Ballmer's suspension stems from an investigation into sponsorship deals.
•Mark Walter and Jed York, also owners, are entangled in different scandals.
•The Clippers plan to comply with the league's penalties.

Latest Updates

10:30 AMYahoo Sports — America’s Richest Sports Team Owners 2026

What they're saying

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The top 20 owners on The Forbes 400 are worth a combined $666 billion—but the richest of all is benched this NBA season because of a financial scandal.
— Yahoo Sports

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