Clippers Hit Hard for Kawhi Deal | Los Angeles Clippers News

The NBA just dropped a blockbuster penalty on the LA Clippers for violating salary cap rules tied to Kawhi Leonard’s endorsement deal — a 28-million-dollar arrangement deemed illegal compensation. The punishment? A $30 million fine, five first-round draft picks stripped from 2029 to 2033, and suspensions for owner Steve Ballmer, execs Gillian Zucker and Lawrence Frank — plus a $700K fine for Kawhi himself. Analysts are blasting the Clippers for betting big on Kawhi’s health while ignoring the risks, especially after paying him $150M. And while the team denies wrongdoing, documents show Kawhi may have been involved in structuring the payments — turning what started as a business move into a league-wide scandal. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/83af5e0626bbe57c