6 winners, 5 losers from Kawhi Leonard scandal after Clippers get hit with NBA ‘death penalty’
The NBA has imposed severe penalties on the Los Angeles Clippers, including the loss of five first-round draft picks, for circumventing salary cap rules to provide extra compensation to Kawhi Leonard. The investigation, sparked by journalist Pablo Torre, is being hailed as a significant victory for investigative sports journalism.
Why it matters
It demonstrates the enforcement of league integrity and the impact of independent journalism on holding powerful sports organizations accountable.
The Los Angeles Clippers circumvented the salary cap to funnel extra money to Kawhi Leonard for his commitment to the team, and they were caught red-handed. The NBA dropped the hammer on the Clippers on Wednesday after a one-year investigation into the allegations first uncovered by journalist Pablo Torre. The NBA decided to dock the Clippers five future first-round draft picks while suspending governor Steve Ballmer for a year as punishment for Leonard’s no-show endorsement deal with Aspiration and other companies. This is a massive penalty, and it could ruin the Clippers for the next decade.
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