Clippers Hit with NBA Sanctions | Spokane News

The NBA just dropped a blockbuster penalty on the Los Angeles Clippers: owner Steve Ballmer faces a one-year suspension, the team is fined $30 million and loses five first-round draft picks—all stemming from a yearlong probe into salary cap violations tied to Kawhi Leonard. The league accuses the Clippers of pressuring Leonard to secure off-court income by covering personal expenses and facilitating deals meant to skirt salary cap rules. Kawhi himself was fined $700K and admitted fault for lapses in judgment around him, though he insists he didn’t know about any cap-busting plans. The Clippers are fiercely denying the allegations, calling the investigation biased and vowing to fight the penalties through arbitration. With the probe dating back to last September, this could reshape the franchise’s future—and the NBA’s enforcement priorities. 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/434e8a942a665ae8