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When it comes to the Clippers-Kawhi Leonard salary cap circumvention scandal, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver believes it’s time to move forward.
Among the many things he made clear during his media availability Tuesday following the NBA’s Board of Governors meetings was this: He doesn’t expect for there to be any further sanctions stemming from the scandal.
“The discipline is final,” Silver said during his first public comments since the league announced harsh punishments against the Clippers two weeks ago.
The NBA, through an independent investigation conducted by the law firm of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, found the Clippers violated the league’s salary cap circumvention rules by “initiating off-court income opportunities” for Leonard with four different companies that also did business with the team.
The league dropped staggering punishments on the Clippers, fining the franchise $30 million, suspending owner/chairman Steve Ballmer for one year and stripping the franchise of five first-round draft picks from 2029-33.
President of business operations Gillian Zucker (one year) and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank (six months) were also suspended for their roles in the scandal.
But the initial report alluded to potential corroborating evidence, which left the door open for further punishment.
That was put to bed on Tuesday.
Ballmer said in a Sunday statement he has “sincere regrets” and apologized to fans, and acknowledged the franchise was complying with the penalties assessed by the league.
Leonard was forced to pay the NBA $700,000 for restitution for improper benefits provided by the Clippers, while his uncle and former business manager, Dennis Robertson, has been banned by the NBA from all business dealings for five years.
Silver said he met with Leonard but didn’t want to get into the details of his conversations with the National Basketball Players Association that led to Leonard’s punishment.
Leonard was finally traded back to Toronto Monday after a deal between the Clippers and Raptors was agreed to in late June but delayed because of the investigation.
“I think we all agree it’s time to move forward here,” Silver said. “[NBPA Executive Director] David Kelly represented his player well and the interest of the Players Association. All I can say is I think we reached a fair outcome for everyone.”
As for the Clippers, Silver said the league looked at previous violations when figuring out how to punish the Clippers.
“There is precedent of a team for cap violation, circumvention violation, losing five picks, Silver said. “That was something we looked to.”
He was referencing when then-NBA Commissioner David Stern stripped the Timberwolves of five first-round draft picks (selections in the drafts from 2001-05) in October 2000 for circumventing the salary cap for Joe Smith.
The NBA gave the Timberwolves back their 2003 first-round draft pick in December 2000 after then-owner Glen Taylor accepted a suspension and executive Kevin McHale took a leave of absence.
By December 2001, the league also restored the Timberwolves’ 2005 first-round pick.
But, at least for now, it doesn’t appear the Clippers will be getting any of their draft picks back.
Silver acknowledged the tough place the Clippers’ sanctions puts their fans in.
“To your point, I think that’s in some ways the most difficult part of adjudicating these disputes,” Silver said. “Because while there have to be competitive consequences, our view, if these rules are violated, we still want to be a 30-team league. We recognize that in some ways we’re unfortunately punishing the fans of that team as well. That’s the balance we’re trying to seek.
“I don’t think in any way we’ve done permanent damage to this franchise. No question, this is a setback for the team. As I said, the ultimate goal in terms of these type of sanctions is to ensure that other teams don’t engage in this type of behavior in the future. So there has to be something beyond suspensions and financial consequences. That has to go directly to competition.”
English (US)