The NBA announced penalties against the LA Clippers on September 7 for salary cap circumvention tied to star player Kawhi Leonard. The Clippers were fined $30 million and lost five future first-round draft picks spanning 2029 to 2033, a major blow to their long-term roster building [1, 2, 3].

Clippers owner Steve Ballmer was suspended from all league and team activities for one year. Basketball operations president Lawrence Frank received a six-month suspension without pay, while team president Gillian Zucker was suspended for one year without pay as well [1, 2].

Kawhi Leonard was fined $700,000 but not suspended. His current contract remains intact despite evidence linking him to external endorsement contracts used to circumvent the salary cap. Leonard denied intentional wrongdoing, saying he was unaware of the scheme and signed contracts in good faith [1, 2, 3].

The salary cap circumvention involved questionable endorsement deals, including payments from the bankrupt company Aspiration totaling about $48 million in cash and equity over four years [1, 2]. Some fans and commentators expressed skepticism that Leonard could be unaware of such large payments appearing in his accounts. Analyst Stephen A. Smith called the $700,000 fine "absurdly light," labeling Leonard "one of the worst athletes in U.S. sports history" [1, 2, 3]. Conversely, former NBA player Draymond Green supported the league's acceptance of Leonard’s claim of ignorance and welcomed the focus on team sanctions, saying, "I’m going with Kawhi’s explanation and glad most penalties are on the team, not Kawhi" [1, 2, 3].

The loss of five first-round picks from 2029 through 2033 will severely limit the Clippers’ ability to rebuild and maintain roster flexibility, experts say [1, 2, 3].

Separately, former Clippers star Chris Paul criticized the team’s handling of his final season. Paul played only 16 games last season, averaging 2.9 points and 3.3 assists. In December 2025, Paul and the Clippers parted ways after internal conflicts. He was traded to the Toronto Raptors in March 2026 before retiring. Paul called the Clippers’ treatment "one of the most disrespectful things" he’s experienced and said, "No matter how much you give or achieve, you might not be valued" [4, 5].

The NBA and the players’ union have agreed that the disciplinary measures are final and binding, likely avoiding litigation or further public dispute [1, 2].