NBA Fines Clippers $30 Million and Strips Five First-Round Picks

The NBA has fined the Los Angeles Clippers $30 million and ordered the franchise to forfeit five first-round draft picks after finding that the team violated salary-cap circumvention rules in matters involving Kawhi Leonard. The Associated Press reported that the lost selections will be one first-round pick in each draft from 2029 through 2033, part of a broad package of sanctions announced Wednesday.

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According to the AP, the league acted after a nearly year-long investigation conducted by an outside law firm. The NBA said the Clippers created off-court income opportunities for Leonard, connected him with companies that did business with the team and offered team business as an inducement for endorsement agreements. The league also found that the organization covered personal expenses for Leonard and his representatives.

The penalties extend well beyond the fine and draft assets. Clippers owner Steve Ballmer was suspended from league and team activities for one year. President of basketball operations Lawrence Frank received a six-month suspension without pay, while president of business operations Gillian Zucker was suspended for one year. The NBA said the executives were sanctioned for their respective roles in the arrangements and related conduct during the investigation.

Leonard was ordered to pay the league $700,000. The NBA said he violated its circumvention rules through actions involving his former business manager and uncle, Dennis Robertson, including pressure on the Clippers to help secure outside income opportunities and a failure to reimburse personal expenses. Robertson was barred from doing business with NBA teams for five years. The Clippers will also operate under a league compliance and monitoring program for five years.

The Clippers rejected the findings in a statement reported by the AP, calling the investigation biased and saying they intend to challenge the conclusions and penalties through available channels. Ballmer's attorney also disputed the league's case, arguing that the Clippers and Aspiration Fund Adviser had no agreement to funnel money to Leonard. Leonard said he entered the relevant contracts and agreements in good faith and did not know of any intent to evade salary-cap rules.

The investigation began in September 2025 and initially focused on a reported $28 million endorsement agreement between Leonard and Aspiration, which later filed for bankruptcy. The NBA said its outside investigators continue to receive information and that further action remains possible. For now, the punishment removes a run of future first-round picks, sidelines key club leaders and places the organization under extended oversight.