The Los Angeles Clippers are facing years of hurdles after the NBA's investigation into salary cap circumvention, and the team has made clear they won't take their punishment lying down. The Clippers were hit with franchise-altering sanctions after the NBA's investigation found "a pattern of misconduct and multiple significant rules violations by the Clippers organization" in setting up false advertising deals for star Kawhi Leonard to pay him more than allowed under the salary cap. As a result, the Clippers are losing five first-round draft picks and were fined $30 million, with team owner Steve Ballmer suspended from all league activities for a year.
Other team executives were also suspended for six months apiece and Leonard — who was recently traded to the Toronto Raptors — was fined $700,000, among other punishments. It's a heavy burden to bear, but the Clippers claim the "investigation has been flawed from the outset," as they said through attorney David N. Kelley in a letter to Commissioner Adam Silver.
"This type of witch hunt flies in the face of fundamental fairness and of the integrity of the league and of this sport that we all love," the team said. "We are exploring every legal remedy to address this gross injustice." The Clippers also assailed the precipitating event for the investigation: a multi-part series from the podcast "Pablo Torre Finds Out" in which the eponymous host has regularly revealed more and more alleged wrongdoing by the team, its leaders and Leonard. "It seems increasingly likely that Mr.
Ballmer will spend years defending himself and the team against a podcaster's baseless claims," the team said. As Marc Stein noted, there's no appeals process built into the league's bylaws. "It’s believed that the Clippers will have to mount any appeal or arbitration case through external channels," he said.
Perhaps that's why Leonard has been much more contrite in the wake of the ruling. "Integrity and respect for this game are fundamental to who I am," he wrote on social media. "I accept full responsibility for lapses in judgment by people within my inner circle and regret the distraction this situation has caused the fans and my family. ...
As I return to Toronto, I am focused on what I can control, closing this chapter, and moving forward with a clean slate." It sounds like the Clippers aren't quite ready for that yet.
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