The NBA has come down hard on the Clippers following its investigation into Kawhi Leonard and potential salary cap circumvention.Los Angeles will lose five future first-round picks from 2029 through 2033, while owner Steve Ballmer has been fined $30 million and suspended from all league and team activities for one year.President of business operations Gillian Zucker received a one-year unpaid suspension, while president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank was suspended without pay for six months. Leonard avoided suspension but was fined $700,000.The punishments follow a near-yearlong investigation that found a pattern of misconduct and multiple significant rules violations by the Clippers organization, a prior offender of the salary cap circumvention rules, the NBA said.Commissioner Adam Silver didnt hold back when announcing the leagues decision.The NBAs collectively bargained system for determining player compensation is a fundamental component of the basketball competition that the league oversees for the benefit of the teams and players and ultimately the fans, Silver said. I am deeply disappointed by the flagrant violations of our rules and by the Clippers institutional and leadership failures that led to this misconduct. The severity of the penalties reflects the seriousness of the violations.The investigation began following reporting from podcast journalist Pablo Torre surrounding Leonards reported $28 million endorsement agreement with Aspiration Fund Adviser LLC.The Clippers strongly disputed the NBAs conclusion and said they intend to challenge the findings.We vehemently reject the NBAs findings, which are the result of a heavily biased investigation seeking to justify a predetermined narrative rather than facts and evidence, the Clippers said. What the league told us privately differs from what it announced today publicly, and they have not held themselves close to the standard Commissioner Silver set at the start of this investigation to ensure [its] fairness and accuracy.Leonard also addressed his involvement through his new agent, Harrison Gaines.I entered into my contract with the Clippers as well as the agreements in question in good faith, fully committed to fulfilling my obligations and with no knowledge of any intent on anyones part to circumvent the salary cap, Leonard said.READ MORE: Former All-Stars Headline Best NBA Free Agents
