The NBA’s punishment of the Clippers has already sparked reactions across the league, and Suns owner Mat Ishbia is now part of the conversation.
Following the league’s investigation into potential salary cap circumvention involving Kawhi Leonard, Ishbia offered a blunt but measured take on Steve Ballmer’s role in the saga. According to Daniel Roberts of Front Office Sports, Ishbia made clear that he sees the Clippers owner as someone who made a serious mistake, not someone beyond redemption.
“I think Steve probably regrets what he did,” Ishbia said. “I’m sure Steve realized he made a mistake.
It doesn’t make me not like Steve. I think Steve Ballmer’s a great owner … That was a misstep.”
The league’s findings brought steep penalties for the Clippers. Ballmer received a one-year suspension that bars him from any contact with the team or being around them in any capacity.
Gillian Zucker, the team’s president of business operations, was also hit with a one-year suspension under the same terms. Lawrence Frank, the president of basketball operations, was suspended for six months.
The Clippers also lost their first-round picks for five years, starting with the 2029 NBA Draft and running through 2033. Leonard was fined $70,000, while his uncle Dennis Robertson, who had been acting as his representation, was banned from conducting business with the NBA for five years.
Leonard has since been traded to the Raptors in a previously agreed upon deal before the NBA’s punishment. The Clippers, meanwhile, opened their post-Leonard era with a win over the Sacramento Kings on opening night.
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