EPISODE · Sep 11, 2026 · 46 MIN
Clippers Get Joe Smith'd and Ballmer's Fight Back, LSU Folds to Dodge Expulsion, and Jacobs Pleads No Contest
from Conduct Detrimental: THE Sports Law Podcast · host Conduct Detrimental
On this episode of Conduct Detrimental: THE Sports Law Podcast, Dan Lust (@SportsLawLust) and Mike Kravchenko (Watch on YouTube) are back after a three-week hiatus — a quick, programming note on why — and there was no shortage of news waiting for them. They lead with the one that had the bat-signal going up in Dan's group chats: Steve Ballmer and the Clippers. On September 2nd the NBA closed its year-long investigation and dropped the hammer — a $30M fine, five forfeited first-round picks, a one-year suspension for Ballmer, six months for Lawrence Frank, a year for Gillian Zucker, and a $700K fine for Kawhi Leonard — over a $28M "endorsement" with the now-bankrupt Aspiration that the league deemed a no-show job. Mike and Dan dig into the scathing Wachtell report (this wasn't just the Clippers — Kawhi's camp shopped similar deals to other teams), and the real legal-ease answer to the question everyone's asking: why did Kawhi get a slap on the wrist while the Clippers got decimated? Then, the saga that "90% resolved itself" — SEC v. LSU. The conference passed its ex-pro eligibility rule 16–0 (LSU included), then Lane Kiffin went and recruited former NFL players anyway. The crew maps the chaos: a Louisiana state court clearing Dae'Quan Wright and Zxavien Harris to play, the SEC's now-mooted federal suit in the Northern District of Alabama, and the nuclear threat that ended it — a vote to expel LSU from the conference. LSU's RJ Lewis is teed up to test it all over again come basketball season. In the back half: Josh Jacobs pleads no contest to two misdemeanors the morning of the record — Mike explains the plea terms, the Commissioner Exempt List, and why the NFL's Personal Conduct Policy runs independent of the courts (the Diggs timeline is the cautionary tale for anyone counting on a quick return). Dan closes it out with his best bets and UFC futures. Let us know your thoughts! *** Have a topic you want to write about? ANYONE and EVERYONE can publish for ConductDetrimental.com. Let us know if you want to join the team. As always, this episode is sponsored by Themis Bar Review: https://www.themisbarsocial.com/conductdetrimental Host: Dan Lust (@SportsLawLust) Featuring: Mike Kravchenko (Watch on YouTube) Produced by: Mike Kravchenko (Watch on YouTube) Twitter | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | Website | Email
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Clippers Get Joe Smith'd and Ballmer's Fight Back, LSU Folds to Dodge Expulsion, and Jacobs Pleads No Contest
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