Kawhi Leonard
The Los Angeles Clippers have been hit with a record $30 million (£22.2m) fine by the NBA after an investigation found the franchise violated salary-cap rules in connection with sponsorship and off-court income opportunities involving star player Kawhi Leonard.
The punishment is the largest financial penalty in NBA history and comes alongside a series of major sanctions against the organisation.
The NBA investigation, which began in September 2025 following a report by podcast journalist Pablo Torre, focused on a $28m (£20.8m) endorsement agreement between Leonard and Aspiration Fund Adviser LLC.
According to the NBA’s findings, Leonard pressured the Clippers into securing off-court income opportunities for him.
The league concluded that the organisation had engaged in a pattern of misconduct and multiple significant violations of salary-cap rules.
As part of the punishment, the Clippers must also forfeit five first-round draft picks between 2029 and 2033.
Team owner Steve Ballmer has been suspended from all NBA and Clippers activities for 12 months over his involvement in matters relating to Leonard’s sponsorship agreements.
Clippers president of business operations Gillian Zucker has also received a one-year suspension without pay for providing misleading information to investigators.
Leonard, meanwhile, has been fined $700,000 (£520,000).
NBA commissioner Adam Silver described the Clippers’ conduct as “flagrant violations” and said the severity of the penalties reflected the seriousness of the findings.
Leonard, 35, said he accepts full responsibility and regrets the distraction caused by the situation.
The two-time NBA champion joined the Clippers in 2019 and spent seven seasons with the franchise before departing in 2026.
The NBA has also placed the Clippers and relevant personnel under a five-year compliance and monitoring programme to ensure future adherence to league rules.