The Clippers have turned to John Gibson to run the franchise while Steve Ballmer serves a one-year suspension tied to the NBA’s cap-circumvention ruling in the Kawhi Leonard matter.
The league approved Gibson as the team’s interim governor and CEO on Monday after a vetting process, according to ESPN. Ballmer selected Gibson as his replacement during the suspension. Gibson, a Los Angeles trial attorney and former partner at DLA Piper, is also a longtime Clippers season ticket holder.
In a statement, Gibson said, "I am honored to take on this responsibility and grateful for the opportunity to serve an organization I have supported for many years," Gibson said in a statement. "The Clippers have talented players, coaches, and staff, an extraordinary home in Intuit Dome, and passionate Clipper Nation fans who, like me, care deeply about this team. My focus will be on supporting our people, providing steady leadership, and helping the organization continue moving forward."
The move comes after the Clippers first indicated they might challenge the league’s discipline before ultimately accepting the NBA’s decision. The team also finalized the long-agreed-upon trade that sent Leonard to the Raptors and has started working through the leadership openings created by the investigation and the suspensions that followed.
Gibson is the biggest of those interim appointments. Trent Redden is expected to handle the basketball operations side with president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank suspended for six months. On the business side, president of business operations Gillian Zucker is serving a one-year suspension.
The fallout is significant. The Clippers lost five future first-round picks, and the league said the team "are subject to a compliance and monitoring program overseen by the league office for a period of five years." With top decision-makers out for the next 6 to 12 months, the franchise is now trying to chart its next steps carefully under Gibson, at least until Frank returns after next season's trade deadline.
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Batum reflected on the loss that shaped his life from the start and on the family priorities that now define his next chapter. After years of being valued for his versatility, professionalism and steady presence, he is stepping away to begin a new life centered on being a full-time father, leaving one lingering thread in the message that explains just how personal this farewell really is. [Read more 🡒]