Liam MacKenzie – Treasurer/Sports Editor
Inglewood, CA – The Los Angeles Clippers are dealing with significant league penalties after the NBA concluded its nearly year-long investigation into the team’s dealings involving Kawhi Leonard. On September 2, 2026, the league announced that the Clippers would forfeit five first-round draft picks, receive a $30 million fine and face several suspensions stemming from violations of the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement.
The investigation, conducted independently by the law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, found that the Clippers set up and assisted with off-court income opportunities between Leonard and companies that did business with the organization. The NBA also found that the team paid certain personal expenses involving Leonard and his representatives and failed to report improper solicitations made on Leonard’s behalf.
Five First-Round Picks Forfeited – As part of the league’s ruling, Los Angeles will forfeit its first-round selections in the 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032 and 2033 NBA Drafts. The penalties are final and binding under an agreement between the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association.
The draft-pick penalties will significantly affect the Clippers’ long-term draft resources, particularly as the organization looks to build its roster beyond the current season. The league will also place the Clippers and their personnel under a five-year compliance and monitoring program.
Ballmer Among Those Suspended – Clippers owner Steve Ballmer has been suspended from all league and team activities for one year. According to the NBA, the suspension stems from findings that Ballmer knowingly sought to help Leonard obtain off-court income opportunities and approved a business arrangement that the league determined was connected to an unauthorized endorsement agreement.
The league also suspended Clippers President of Business Operations Gillian Zucker for one year without pay and President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank for six months without pay. Leonard was ordered to pay the NBA $700,000, while his former business manager, Dennis Robertson, received a five-year ban from conducting business with NBA teams and their affiliates in certain capacities.
Clippers Move Forward – The Clippers initially disputed the NBA’s findings and indicated that they would challenge the sanctions through the available process. By September 13, however, Ballmer said the organization had communicated to the NBA that it would comply with the penalties and had paid the $30 million fine.
The investigation also cleared the way for Leonard’s move to Toronto, with the NBA’s official transaction tracker listing his return to the Raptors on September 14. The Clippers received Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, future draft compensation and a future pick swap in the deal.
What it Means for Boston – The NBA’s decision also has a connection to the Boston Celtics because of a future Clippers first-round pick that Boston acquired this offseason. The Celtics received the 2028 Clippers first-round pick as part of the July trade that sent Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers for Paul George and additional draft compensation.
Importantly, Boston’s 2028 pick is not affected by the NBA’s punishment because the league forfeited Clippers selections beginning in 2029. The terms of the Celtics’ deal give Boston rights connected to the Clippers’ 2028 first-round selection, including a potential swap depending on where the pick falls and the protections attached to Philadelphia’s selection.
A Future Asset for the Celtics – The Clippers’ loss of their 2029-2033 first-round picks does not directly change Boston’s 2028 draft rights, but it adds another layer of significance to the picks the Celtics control. The Clippers’ reduced access to future first-round selections could affect how the organization approaches roster construction over the next several seasons, which in turn could influence the eventual value of the 2028 pick.
For now, the Celtics will have to wait until 2028 to see exactly how the complicated protections surrounding the pick play out. What is already clear is that Boston’s draft compensation from the Brown trade remains intact despite the NBA’s sweeping penalties against Los Angeles.
