The NBA just dropped some serious hammer time on Kawhi Leonard and the Los Angeles Clippers, nearly a year after Pablo Torre first blew the whistle on the cap circumvention saga with Aspiration. And let me tell you, the Clippers definitely got the worst of it compared to their All-NBA forward, who signed with them back in 2019. This is a massive hit to the franchise.
The League’s Brutal Judgment
Shams Charania of ESPN broke the news, and it’s ugly for the Clippers. They’ve been stripped of five first-round draft picks! On top of that, owner Steve Ballmer got slapped with a $30 million fine, plus suspensions for him and executives Lawrence Frank and Gillian Zucker. It’s a heavy price for what the league found. Meanwhile, Kawhi Leonard? He’s looking at a “measly” $700,000 fine. His uncle and former agent, Dennis Robertson, got a lifetime ban from all NBA business dealings. You gotta admit, that punishment disparity is wild.
Philly’s Pick Swap is Safe!
Now, for those keeping an eye on the bigger picture, this punishment actually has some interesting ripple effects, especially for the Sixers. The Clippers owe Philly a first-round swap in 2029, the same year Charania reported the Clippers would start losing draft picks. The good news for the Sixers is that their pick swap is totally safe and won’t be impacted by this. Zach Lowe of The Ringer confirmed that the 2029 first-rounder getting stripped from the Clippers is actually the Indiana Pacers’ pick, which the Clippers acquired in the Ivica Zubac trade. Derek Bodner of PHLY and Adam Aaronson of PhillyVoice both jumped in to confirm that the Sixers’ pick swap remains intact, no worries there.
The Sixers still control that pick swap, even if trying to project its value this far out feels impossible with the new lottery rules. But for the Clippers, who haven’t really been about tanking since Ballmer took over, this is a whole new world. How do you rebuild when you don’t control your own picks? It’s going to be a fascinating watch to see how they navigate the coming years.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Liberty Ballers.
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