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The NBA has dropped a thunderous hammer on the Los Angeles Clippers, slapping the franchise with a $42 million fine and stripping five first-round picks in a blockbuster salary cap scandal centred on superstar Kawhi Leonard.
A year-long investigation revealed Leonard received millions from scoreboard company Daktronics, allegedly for no-show work, while the Clippers looked the other way.
Owner Steve Ballmer faces a year-long ban, while two top executives received suspensions without pay.
Leonard, now with Toronto, accepted responsibility for his inner circle’s lapses but insisted he acted in good faith.
The Clippers fired back with fury, accusing the NBA of a “predetermined narrative” and vowing to fight through arbitration.
With the SEC now circling Daktronics, this $43 million mess threatens to define the franchise’s future.
As the 2026-27 season looms, the league’s integrity hangs in the balance, and both sides are bracing for a legal war that could reshape the NBA’s financial landscape.
