World

Clippers Docked Five First-Round Draft Picks and Fined $30 Million Over Kawhi Leonard Scandal

The NBA imposes a severe penalty on the Los Angeles Clippers for violating salary cap rules in the pursuit of star player Kawhi Leonard.

2 September 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Archive photo: Clippers Docked Five First-Round Draft Picks and Fined $30 Million Over Kawhi Leonard Scandal — Archive photoPhoto: U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Mhecaela J. Watts · Wikimedia Commons · Public domain

The NBA has penalized the Los Angeles Clippers following an investigation into their signing of Kawhi Leonard as a free agent. The league found that the Clippers circumvented salary cap rules during this process, leading to one of the most significant sanctions in the league's history.

As part of the punishment, the Clippers will forfeit five first-round draft picks, leaving them without any natural selections in the draft from 2029 through 2033. This lengthy draft pick ban significantly impacts the team’s future roster-building capabilities.

In addition to the loss of draft picks, the franchise has been fined $30 million. This financial penalty is one of the largest ever imposed by the NBA, reflecting the seriousness of the violations committed by the team.

Furthermore, Steve Ballmer, the owner of the Clippers, has been handed a one-year ban, which further emphasizes the league's commitment to enforcing its financial regulations. The specifics of the ban have not been fully disclosed.

These disciplinary measures highlight the NBA's strict oversight of its teams and aim to uphold the integrity of competitive balance within the league.

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