Rich Eisen ranks Leonard’s Clippers move among sports’ worst acquisitions

Steve Ballmer drew a one-year suspension.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Sep 31 min read

"Kawhi Leonard. His acquisition by the Los Angeles Clippers is now on the Mt. Rushmore of the worst acquisitions in the Via @ESPNNBA on X

What happened: The NBA fined the Los Angeles Clippers $30 million and Kawhi Leonard $700,000 after finding salary-cap circumvention violations. The ruling followed a nearly yearlong outside investigation.

Why it matters: The 2019 acquisition never delivered the franchise’s first NBA Finals appearance. The penalties will constrain roster building well into the next decade.

By the numbers: Leonard earned $293 million in salary during seven Clippers seasons and appeared in 17 playoff wins. The draft forfeitures

What to watch: The league may consider further action as outside investigators continue receiving information.

Sources

@ESPNNBA 2026-09-03T19:14:56.284631+00:00

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