Add The New York Post on Google After a year-long investigation, the NBA ruled that the Clippers violated the league’s salary cap circumvention rules by initiating off-court sponsorship deals for star forward Kawhi Leonard, the league announced on Wednesday.
The franchise has been stripped of five first-round picks, the league issued a $30 million fine to owner Steve Ballmer and suspended Ballmer, President of Business Operations Gillian Zucker and President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank for various periods.
Leonard will have to pay the league $700,000 while his uncle and former business representive, Dennis Robertson is being banned by the NBA from all business dealings.
Nolan Traore of the Brooklyn Nets defends against Kawhi Leonard of the LA Clippers during the second quarter at The Barclays Center on Friday, January 9, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post The NBA’s announcement stated:
“The investigation found a pattern of misconduct and multiple significant rules violations by the Clippers organization, a prior offender of the salary cap circumvention rules. As described in a summary report prepared by Wachtell Lipton…the Clippers broke the rules by:
“Mr. Leonard, through the conduct of Mr. Robertson on his behalf, violated the circumvention rules by pressuring the Clippers to assist him in obtaining off-court income opportunities, successfully obtaining those opportunities, and failing to reimburse payments by the Clippers for personal expenses.
Based on this misconduct, the NBA has imposed the following penalties:
