Steve Ballmer & Clippers Front Office at Risk of Suspension, Hefty Fines Over Alleged Kawhi Leonard $28M Payment

Circumventions have long scarred the NBA’s history, and the Los Angeles Clippers have stood at the center of these storms. The franchise drew heavy scrutiny in 2015, paying a $250,000 fine after a prohibited endorsement pitch tied to DeAndre Jordan. Yet nearly a decade later, echoes return. Under Steve Ballmer’s watch, Kawhi Leonard’s alleged $28 million no-show deal now drags the Clippers back under the league’s harsh glare of potential fines, suspensions, and voided contracts.

Severe consequences are lurking in the shadows for the Clippers. However, they aren’t the first team to experience this, as the Minnesota Timberwolves’ years 1998-99 and 1999-00 were also a series of controversies. Spotrac’s Keith Smith tweeted the details for the Clippers and NBA fans in general to understand.

The Wolves paid a steep price 25 years ago when the NBA uncovered a cap-circumvention scheme tied to Joe Smith. The league stripped the franchise of 5 first-round picks, later returning 2, and imposed a $3.5 million fine. They voided Smith’s latest contract and erased his Bird Rights. The league also suspended former owner Glen Taylor, while it forced GM Kevin McHale to step aside. By contrast, recent tampering findings cost only second-round picks.

In 2000, ESPN reported that arbitrator Kenneth Dam upheld the NBA’s penalties against Joe Smith, effectively ensuring the forward’s exit from Minnesota. Dam ruled that commissioner David Stern acted within his authority when voiding Smith’s 1998-99 and 1999-00 contracts. With Minnesota only able to offer the veteran a minimum of $611,000, rival teams, including Chicago, Miami, Dallas, New York, Indiana, and Atlanta, lined up with offers ranging from $1 million to $6 million.

The ruling stemmed from Minnesota’s illegal secret deal promising Smith a multimillion-dollar extension starting in 2001-02 after three seasons with the franchise. The fallout was severe: the Timberwolves forfeited five first-round draft picks and paid a $3.5 million fine. Stern signaled further penalties could follow, with owner Glen Taylor and executive Kevin McHale among those facing possible one-year suspensions. Meanwhile, Smith’s agent began talks with interested teams across the league.

Now, as history repeats itself, the LA Clippers find themselves in the middle of a storm. Fines, suspensions, and more are glaring at Steve Ballmer and Kawhi Leonard. And well, it doesn’t feel like the drama will end anytime soon.

Kawhi Leonard’s $28 million deal puts Steve Ballmer in major trouble

Let’s rewind. In 2015, the DeAndre Jordan free agency saga delivered shockwaves when the then-27-year-old flipped from Dallas back to the Clippers. Yet the NBA spotlight shifted to a rule breach during the team’s July 2 presentation. Officials improperly raised a third-party Lexus endorsement worth $200,000 annually. The pitch did not sway Jordan, who chose Dallas first, but the intent alone triggered a $250,000 fine against Steve Ballmer’s Clippers.

Article XIII of the CBA remains the league’s strongest guardrail, closing every path to hidden inducements or inflated sponsorships. It bars extra payments through fake jobs or investments tied to players, agents, or family members. Violations can be exposed through circumstantial evidence or tax records. Penalties climb as high as $6 million, along with draft pick losses, contract voiding, and executive suspensions. Even agents risk a one-year suspension.

Now history circles back in a louder echo. In 2019, Kawhi Leonard joined the Clippers fresh off a title, and ESPN reports suspicion never faded. Pablo Torre alleges Leonard received $28 million through KL2 Aspire LLC for a fabricated role with Aspiration, a Ballmer-backed tree planting firm that collapsed with $7 million still unpaid. Torre cites records and testimony describing it as a “no-show job.” The Clippers deny every charge.

History loves its reruns, and the Clippers keep landing the lead role. From DeAndre Jordan to Kawhi Leonard, the script feels all too familiar, only louder this time. The league’s rulebook has no soft spots, and the whispers now carry real weight. As the spotlight sharpens, the question is simple: Does this saga fade, or does it explode into another NBA classic?