NewsWSVN 7 News MiamiSeptember 2, 2026Miami-Dade
NBA suspends Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and fines team $30 million for salary cap circumvention
The NBA has issued a sweeping set of penalties against the Los Angeles Clippers, including a one-year suspension for owner Steve Ballmer and the forfeiture of five draft picks, following an investigation into illegal salary cap circumvention. The league also penalized player Kawhi Leonard $700,000 and banned team executives Lawrence Frank and Gillian Zucker for their roles in facilitating impermissible off-court income deals.
Read the full story at WSVN 7 News MiamiWhy It Matters
The ruling significantly alters the Clippers' immediate competitive future by stripping them of draft assets and removing key leadership, while also placing the organization under a five-year league compliance monitoring program.
Key Facts
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Who's Mentioned
organizationLos Angeles Clippers“Subject of the league's investigation and penalties.”personAdam Silver“Announced the penalties and cited institutional failures.”personLawrence Frank“Banned for six months for involvement in impermissible endorsement arrangements.”personJoseph Sanberg“Sentenced to 14 years in prison for defrauding investors.”personSteve Ballmer“Suspended for one year for knowingly helping a player obtain off-court income de”personDennis Robertson“Banned from doing business with NBA teams for five years.”organizationToronto Raptors“Team awaiting the outcome of the investigation regarding a potential trade for L”personKawhi Leonard“Fined $700,000 for pressuring the team to assist in obtaining off-court income.”personGillian Zucker“Suspended for one year for culpability in illegal arrangements and lying to inve”organizationAspiration Fund Adviser LLC“The firm that provided the $28 million endorsement contract to Leonard.”