What happened: Steve Ballmer is complying with the NBA's punishment of the Clippers for salary cap circumvention, apologizing for the scandal and declining to pursue legal action, according to Shams Charania. The penalties include a $30M fine, five stripped first-round picks and a one-year suspension for Ballmer.

Why it matters: Dropping any appeal closes off further challenges to the league's ruling, leaving the fine and draft-pick losses final. The compliance decision doesn't speed up the stalled Kawhi Leonard trade talks with the Raptors, with approval paperwork still unfiled as of Sept. 8.

What to watch: Watch whether the Clippers-Raptors trade approval process moves now that Ballmer has ended his fight with the league.