The Clippers mortgaged a lot for Kawhi Leonard, and it just became more expensive, even now that they’ve traded him away.
The NBA’s yearlong investigation into the LA Clippers’ dealings with Leonard has finally reached its conclusion, and the punishment is severe. The league determined that the franchise violated salary-cap circumvention rules by facilitating improper off-court income opportunities for Leonard, including a $28 million deal with Aspiration, and other arrangements involving team sponsors.
The Clippers were stripped of their 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032 and 2033 first-round picks and fined $30 million. Owner Steve Ballmer is suspended for one year, President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank for six months, and business president Gillian Zucker for one year. Leonard, meanwhile, is ordered to pay $700,000 in restitution, while his uncle and former representative, Dennis Robertson, is banned from NBA business dealings. The franchise will also operate under a five-year compliance and monitoring program.
The Clippers have rejected the findings and plan to challenge the penalties through arbitration. Leonard, on the other hand, is taking ownership. But regardless of what happens next, the organization has already begun moving on.
As part of the trade finalized this past July, Leonard is headed back to the Toronto Raptors, with the Clippers acquiring Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick and a package of future draft assets in return.
Ingram immediately becomes the most proven piece of the new-look roster. He gives Los Angeles a legitimate scoring wing and someone capable of carrying a significant offensive burden. Two-time All-Star Darius Garland, who was acquired in February in exchange for James Harden, is also a big part of the future.
But the player who could ultimately determine where this franchise goes is Keaton Wagler, the No. 5 overall pick in this year’s draft. Wagler arrives with plenty of intrigue. He’s a 6-foot-6 guard who averaged 17.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists for the University of Illinois while shooting 39.7% from three this past NCAA season. A crafty shot-maker and pick-and-roll operator with an impressive feel, the wide potential is pretty exciting, although his slender frame and limited explosiveness raise questions about how quickly his game can translate.
That’s a lot to ask of a 19-year-old. But with five first-round picks now gone, the Clippers desperately need Wagler to become something more than a nice prospect.
That then brings us to the uncomfortable questions.
Should Lawrence Frank be fired? Probably. His six-month suspension is a significant punishment, and while firing him won’t restore a single draft pick, a franchise beginning a new chapter has a reasonable argument for putting completely new leadership in place.
Should Tyronn Lue move on? Not necessarily. Lue wasn’t implicated in the scandal, and his coaching ability remains valuable. If anything, giving him a young core and letting him establish a new identity could be worthwhile. But if the Clippers truly want a clean break, his future deserves consideration.
Should Ballmer be forced to sell? No. The violations are serious, but a forced sale would be an extraordinary step. A suspension, financial penalty and league monitoring program provide significant accountability without crossing that line.
The bigger problem is that the Clippers can’t simply buy their way out of this. They are basically banking on Garland, Ingram, Wagler, and the rest of the pieces to work really really well, all while hoping to hit on their limited draft picks and entice some free agents, which is a swing considering the mess they are in now.
It’s an uphill climb when you’re already beat up bad.
