NBA strips Clippers of five first-round picks; Ballmer suspended one year

Forfeitures cover the 2029 through 2033 drafts

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Sep 21 min read

What happened: The NBA also fined the Clippers $30 million in its salary-cap ruling. The sanctions follow an investigation tied to Kawhi Leonard.

Why it matters: The Clippers lose draft capital across five consecutive years, limiting future roster-building flexibility. Steve Ballmer's suspension adds a front-office consequence to the financial penalty.

By the numbers: Fine: $30 million. Ballmer suspension: one year.

What to watch: The league's implementation of the draft-pick forfeitures and related front-office penalties will be the next focus.

Sources

basketball.realgm.com 2026-09-02T21:06:15.367304+00:00

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