“I wasn’t surprised [by the punishment]… at the end of the day, Adam Silver had a job to do, and I think the punishment makes sense, and we all move forward,” Curry said in an interview with CNBC.

As the Clippers continue to challenge the league over the sanctions, all eyes remain on how the situation unfolds, especially with team owner Steve Ballmer entangled in ongoing legal matters and the potential for further scrutiny into the franchise’s cap management.

Meanwhile, after Leonard broke his silence on the scandal, anticipation is building among Toronto Raptors fans ahead of his return to the city, where he is set to lead a squad featuring emerging talent Scottie Pippen Jr.

Leonard’s trade to Rockets happened with plenty of things going on

Despite previous trade rumors surrounding Leonard and the Houston Rockets—which reportedly stalled amid the legal headwinds surrounding Ballmer—the veteran star is set to rejoin the fold.

Additionally, reports indicate the Raptors are interested in extending Leonard’s tenure, signaling a desire to build a competitive project around Leonard and Pippen to propel Toronto back into Eastern Conference playoff contention.

Curry’s future reportedly decided

While the Warriors icon refrained from discussing his long-term plans publicly, a report from The Athletic‘s Marcus Thompson II shed light on Curry’s future in Golden State.

“Steph is re-signing. Steph isn’t going anywhere. He never was… He wants to play for the same team his whole career… He’d rather go down not winning with his guys than going somewhere else and winning,” Thompson II wrote.

“Officially, The New York Times reported that the Department of Justice has opened a criminal investigation into the Los Angeles Clippers… there is a civil suit from 11 aspiring investors, an ongoing SEC probe, and an SEC probe into Daktronics ongoing,” Torre revealed in a video posted to social media. “The deal between the Clippers and the Rockets hasn’t been finalized because nobody is running the team due to these ongoing investigations.”

While the front office challenges the NBA’s discipline—which severely impacts the franchise’s draft capital—uncertainty looms over Leonard’s future as the legal web entangles the organization.

Luminaries across the league, including former Golden State Warriors veteran Draymond Green, have publicly weighed in on the situation. The severe sanctions handed down by the league office have created palpable tension and a grim mood within the Clippers‘ facility.

Leonard addresses ongoing turmoil

Amid the heightened scrutiny facing both himself and the franchise, Leonard addressed the NBA’s disciplinary findings. In his statement, the two-time Finals MVP noted that returning to Canada to suit up for the Toronto Raptors was among his top offseason priorities.

Although Leonard was hit with a $700,000 restitution fine for receiving improper benefits, he avoided a league suspension. However, any potential move to a new suitor remains frozen while the Clippers navigate their administrative chaos.

Until the legal matters surrounding owner Steve Ballmer reach a resolution, any potential reunion between Leonard and the Raptors remains on ice, leaving Toronto’s roster construction for the upcoming season in temporary limbo.

“It’s probably one of the most disrespectful things that I’ve endured… It lets you know that, no matter what you do, or what you’ve done, nobody cares,” Paul said during an appearance on the Build or Break podcast.

The Clippers‘ decision to move on from Paul midseason came as a shock to fans expecting a proper farewell campaign. While Paul was visibly frustrated by the sudden split at the time, he chose to exercise restraint when addressing the situation publicly.

Meanwhile, other high-profile NBA stars, including Draymond Green, weighed in on the franchise’s uncertain future following the league’s landmark ruling on the salary cap scandal.

Clippers failed to honor Paul’s lasting franchise impact

After evaluating multiple options during free agency last summer, Paul ultimately chose to return to Los Angeles and suit up for the franchise where he delivered some of the finest basketball of his career.

While his initial era in Los Angeles did not yield an NBA championship, Paul is widely recognized as the architect of the modern Clippers franchise. He single-handedly elevated the organization out of the Lakers’ shadow and established the competitive foundation that transformed the franchise’s identity.

Paul’s resume during his primary tenure with the Clippers:

• 5× NBA All-Star (2012–2016)
• 1× NBA All-Star Game MVP (2013)
• 3× All-NBA First Team (2012–2014)
• 2× All-NBA Second Team (2015, 2016)
• 6× NBA All-Defensive First Team (2012–2017)
• 2× NBA Assists Leader (2014, 2015)
• 3× NBA Steals Leader (2012–2014)

Paul’s final season by the numbers

Hindered by role changes and organizational friction throughout his final campaign, Paul was unable to replicate the legendary production that defined his first stint with the Clippers, leading to statistical drops across the board.

Here is a look at his statistical output from the 2025–26 season:

• Games Played (G): 16
• Games Started (GS): 0
• Minutes Per Game (MPG): 14.3
• Points Per Game (PPG): 2.9
• Assists Per Game (APG): 3.3
• Rebounds Per Game (RPG): 1.8
• Steals Per Game (SPG): 0.7
• Turnovers Per Game (TOV): 1.0
• Field Goal Percentage (FG%): 32.1%
• 3-Point Percentage (3P%): 33.3%
• Free Throw Percentage (FT%): 50.0%

Green reacted to the NBA punishment handed down on the Clippers during The Draymond Green Show. “Five first-round picks — that is, including the picks that the Clippers just picked up in a trade from Cleveland with Darius Garland and James Harden. That includes all of the assets that they’ve acquired. If I’m not mistaken, it includes some of the picks from the Zubac trade as well,” Green said.

“That’s where the hammer is dropped. It’s crippling for a franchise — for an organization. Especially a franchise that just went through a six-to-seven-year period of thinking they’re right there with the possibility of winning.”

The Clippers will suffer the consequences

Green focused heavily on the long-term fallout for the franchise, pointing out everything they had built up to this point and everything they lost due to these poor decisions. He recognized that the Clippers will likely go through one of the hardest periods in their history for a long time.

“And now, you’re in a space where you have to reset — just got a top-5 pick in Keaton Wagler. And all of a sudden, you have to do that with losing five first-round draft picks. It may stick the Clippers in purgatory for a long time to come.”

Green believes the added pressure left in the wake of Leonard‘s no-show endorsement deal leaves the Clippers and their players in a tough position ahead of the 2026-27 season.

“It makes you think what certain players like Darius Garland — how are they going to look at being in this place now? A coach like Ty Lue, how does he look at being in this place now? It’s going to dampen the vibe around the Clippers,” Green added.

“We vehemently reject the NBA’s findings, which are the result of a heavily biased investigation seeking to justify a predetermined narrative rather than facts and evidence,” the Clippers’ statement read, according to insider Shams Charania.

After Leonard and the Clippers were strongly punished by the NBA—affecting five first-round picks and over $30 million in fines—the organization in the City of Angels won’t accept the results of the investigation. The Clippers believe they were never judged fairly and that the NBA was only looking to cherry-pick its way to fulfill a narrative. Moreover, the franchise didn’t hesitate to go after league commissioner Adam Silver, calling him out for being two-faced.

“What the league told us privately differs from what it announced today publicly, and they have not held themselves close to the standard Commissioner Silver set at the start of this investigation to ensure it’s fairness and accuracy,” the team’s statement read.

Can the Clippers appeal NBA’s sanctions?

The Los Angeles Clippers have put on their gloves and tucked in their mouth guard. They made that very clear. “For the past year, we cooperated fully and in good faith and we will now fight just as hard to demonstrate our innocence,” the organization stated. “We intend to vigorously challenge these findings and penalties through every avenue available to us and look forward to an ethical and impartial arbitration process.“

However, they may have no grounds to make their case. Well, only one, and it’s in court. “The NBA’s rulings are final,” Shams Charania reported on his X account. “There is no formal appeal or arbitration process available to the Clippers with the league. LA’s only outlet to fight the punishment is in court.”

Judging by the Clippers’ tone and the vigor of their statement, going down that path can’t be ruled out, and in fact, is to be expected. Los Angeles is holding its ground, and it won’t go down without a fight. Its pride is in the mud now. Not only have the Clippers been found guilty of circumventing the cap, but the organization’s honesty has also been put in question. There is no lower place for the team to reach, so it makes sense for them to fight their way up.

It’s on between the Clippers and the NBA

It has truly hit the fan now. The Clippers aren’t going down without a fight, and the NBA has made its decision final. Something has to give. Although he’s been suspended from all league and team activities for one year, owner Steve Ballmer will hold his ground, and his duel with Commissioner Silver is now set to be a compelling storyline in the offseason.

The dog days of summer are over now, and in Inglewood, it’s SummerSlam time. The Clippers are set to enter the ring against the league, and everybody knows only one can walk away from it in one piece.

“Integrity and respect for this game are fundamental to who I am. I accept full responsibility for lapses in judgment by people within my inner circle and regret the distraction this situation has caused the fans and my family,” Leonard stated through his agent, as reported by NBA insider Shams Charania.

“I entered into my contract with the Clippers as well as the agreements in question in good faith, fully committed to fulfilling my obligations and with no knowledge of any intent on anyone’s part to circumvent the salary cap. For 15 years, my priority has been giving everything to my family, the game, and those I share the court with. As I return to Toronto, I am focused on what I can control, closing this chapter, and moving forward with a clean slate.”

Kawhi denies being aware of cap-circumventing antics

As Leonard made clear in his statement after the NBA‘s investigation into his Clippers contract resulted in costly sanctions for both him and his former organization, he was unaware of the team’s intentions to circumvent the salary cap. However, the NBA’s statement says otherwise, finding Leonard—or at least his then-manager, Dennis Robertson—to be a culprit.

“Mr. Leonard, through the conduct of Mr. Robertson on his behalf, violated the circumvention rules by pressuring the Clippers to assist him in obtaining off-court income opportunities, successfully obtaining those opportunities, and failing to reimburse payments by the Clippers for personal expenses,” the NBA’s official statement read.

For his alleged role in the salary-cap circumvention, the NBA handed Kawhi Leonard a $700,000 fine. Still, Leonard didn’t receive as harsh a punishment as the other parties involved in the investigation.

No suspension means Kawhi’s Toronto trade faces no danger

Leonard received no suspension, while Clippers owner Steve Ballmer (one-year suspension), President of Business Operations Gillian Zucker (one-year suspension), and President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank (six-month suspension) can’t say the same. As for Leonard’s former agent, Robertson has been banned from the NBA and its affiliates for five years.

All the while, the Clippers are subject to a compliance and monitoring program. Leonard, however, will be able to play from the start of the 2026-27 NBA season.

Thus, as he faces no suspension and must only pay the NBA roughly 1.4% of his salary for the season, his trade to the Toronto Raptors should face no danger. Kawhi himself confirmed it, stating, “As I return to Toronto…” in his open letter after the penalties were announced.

Kawhi Leonard’s contract

With all the noise surrounding Leonard’s cap-circumventing contract, many fans wonder what his actual deal looks like. Kawhi signed a three-year, $149.5 million contract with the Clippers running through the 2026-27 NBA season.

Under this deal, Leonard made an average salary of $49.8 million. During the next campaign, though back in The Six, Kawhi will be paid a guaranteed salary of $50.3 million by the franchise he led to glory back in 2019.

“The NBA announced today that the LA Clippers and Kawhi Leonard have been penalized for violating the salary cap circumvention rules contained in the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA),” NBA PR said in a statement.

The league handed down the following discipline:

• The Clippers shall forfeit five first-round draft picks, one in each of the 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032, and 2033 NBA Drafts.
• The Clippers are fined $30 million.
• Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is suspended from all league and team activities for one year for knowingly seeking to help Mr. Leonard obtain off-court income opportunities, for approving a business deal that he knew was a precondition for Aspiration to enter into an endorsement agreement with Mr. Leonard, and for his failure to create conditions under which his organization abided by the NBA’s circumvention rules.
• Clippers President of Business Operations Gillian Zucker is suspended without pay for one year for being primarily and directly culpable for the impermissible endorsement arrangements and for providing false and misleading statements to investigators.
• Clippers President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank is suspended without pay for six months for his involvement with the impermissible endorsement arrangements and for approving impermissible expenses incurred by Mr. Leonard and his family.
• The Clippers organization and personnel are subject to a compliance and monitoring program overseen by the league office for a period of five years.
• In connection with his violations, Mr. Leonard is required to pay the league $700,000.
• Mr. Robertson is banned from conducting business or otherwise engaging with NBA teams and their affiliates on behalf of or with respect to any player, employee, or other league or team personnel for a period of five years.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver weighs in on penalties

In a statement addressing the discipline, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver shared his perspective on the findings involving Leonard and the Clippers. “I am deeply disappointed by the flagrant violations of our rules and by the Clippers’ institutional and leadership failures that led to this misconduct. The severity of the penalties reflects the seriousness of the violations,“ Silver stated.

The decision not only complicates the path forward for the Clippers over the coming seasons, but also serves as a stark warning to the rest of the league. Any organization considering similar workarounds now faces clear proof of the severe consequences handed down by the NBA.

Leonard, Clippers release statements

Following the NBA’s decision, Kawhi Leonard released a statement regarding the ruling as he turns his attention toward a return to the Toronto Raptors following the ongoing drama between him and the Clippers.

Meanwhile, the Clippers also reacted to the penalties. In a statement shared by Charania, the Clippers made it clear that they will challenge the NBA punishments affecting their draft picks.

Michael Grange of Sportsnet recently shared what he thinks the most likely outcome of the trade will be. “A negotiated settlement where the NBA gets to enforce some version of its rules, Ballmer can save face and Leonard can play for the Raptors,” Grange wrote.

“Whether Torre’s latest finding is new information to the NBA’s investigation or not, a report in The Athletic last month said a second no-show endorsement deal was already part of the investigation, the sense is that it won’t affect the next stage of the process, namely figuring out what the league is going to do with the information it has collected.”

What remains on pause

The trade that sent Leonard to the Raptors and Brandon Ingram and Gradey Dick to the Clippers is still on pause, and it won’t be completed until the investigation is possibly over. There is still a chance for things to be cleared up before training camp, which will be good for the players so they can be with their new teams.

The league is working quietly to get things resolved quickly, and according to Grange, things have moved beyond the fact-finding stage. All of this comes without even an estimated timeline for when it might reach a conclusion.

What is new in the investigation?

Things continue to be extremely complicated for Kawhi Leonard. First, Leonard was under investigation for his Aspiration sponsorship. Now, he is under suspicion for a second sponsorship.

According to Pablo Torre of Pablo Torre Finds Out, Leonard was involved in a sponsorship with the LA-based crisis firm Daktronics’ Ballmer. An NBA insider told Torre that it was a case of history repeating itself. In other words, Leonard and company were trying to defy the rules of the NBA salary cap.

According to Torre’s sources, Leonard had a hidden multimillion-dollar “sponsorship” with Daktronics. This once again raises alarms about Leonard and the Clippers, as it suggests they may have added even more money on top of his contract and the alleged Aspiration deal.

“This Kawhi deal was not only discussed by higher-ups with the Clippers to circumvent the salary cap… This second source was also told that Kawhi’s sponsorship with Daktronics was a multimillion-dollar deal,” Torre revealed on his show, Pablo Torre Finds Out.

Raptors trade still on standby

The issue surrounding Leonard stems from a curious scenario. The Clippers made an innovative shift within the franchise when construction began on Intuit Dome, their new arena. The team began using the venue in August 2024, and it has been a huge success for both the organization and the fans attending in person.

One of its biggest attractions is the massive circular screen appropriately known as the Halo Board. It is a gigantic, halo-shaped, double-sided 4K video board built by Daktronics. That company proves key because it is involved in this new controversy brought to light by Torre.

Now that Torre has brought this to light, it presents another massive problem for Leonard, the Clippers, and even the Raptors. For Toronto, the direct consequence would be failing to acquire the player they are targeting. However, the situation is far more serious for Leonard and the Clippers, as this marks their second instance of salary cap circumvention and could result in harsh penalties from the NBA if Torre’s reporting proves accurate.

Why is this a problem?

NBA rules aim to prevent teams from using alternative funding sources to provide financial advantages to their players and circumvent restrictions set by the collective bargaining agreement.

According to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, the Dallas Mavericks and Milwaukee Bucks have joined a growing list of teams exploring a potential sign-and-trade for Mathurin. “While the Los Angeles Clippers remain interested in re-signing restricted free agent Bennedict Mathurin, the New Orleans Pelicans, Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks, and Dallas Mavericks have expressed sign-and-trade interest in the 24-year-old swingman, league sources told HoopsHype,” Scotto reported. “With that said, there’s work to be done by each team if they’re going to add Mathurin.”

Mathurin’s restricted free agency has become one of the more closely watched situations of the offseason as the Clippers remain unable to finalize additional major roster moves while the league reviews the circumstances surrounding Leonard’s expected trade to the Toronto Raptors. The investigation, which was recently reported could extend into 2027, has left Los Angeles in a holding pattern.

The Wizards as interested suitors

Scotto noted that New Orleans remains a viable contender after attempting to acquire Mathurin via trade before last season’s deadline, when he was still playing for the Indiana Pacers. The Pelicans possess the $15.04 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception, allowing them to avoid the luxury tax while sitting $8.22 million below that threshold.

Scotto reported that the organization has explored trading Jordan Hawkins, including discussions with the Memphis Grizzlies involving AJ Johnson, in order to generate greater flexibility. Chicago also remains in the mix after pursuing Mathurin before last season’s trade deadline. Scotto reported the Bulls’ new front office and coaching staff remain high on the former lottery pick, although a sign-and-trade appears to be the club’s only realistic path given its available cap mechanisms.

Stiff competition for the Clippers

The Bucks have also been in contact with Mathurin as they continue restructuring their roster. Milwaukee possesses the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception and still holds a $25.46 million trade exception generated in the Giannis Antetokounmpo deal. However, the Bucks also face roster spot constraints and must trim the squad from 17 players down to the 15-player regular-season limit.

Dallas presents another intriguing possibility. Scotto reported that any serious pursuit would likely require the Mavericks to move or buy out Klay Thompson, who is entering the final season of his $17.46 million contract. Without Thompson, Max Christie would become Dallas’ only traditional shooting guard currently under contract.

Despite the growing list of interested teams, the Clippers continue to prioritize bringing Mathurin back. The 24-year-old is coming off a career-best NBA season in which he averaged 17.6 points per game and remains viewed as an important piece of Los Angeles’ long-term plans.

According to The Athletic’s Mike Vorkunov, the outside law firm hired by the NBA appears to have finished its work. The league must now review the findings and determine whether Leonard, the Clippers, or owner Steve Ballmer should face discipline. “The investigation, I think, is over now,” Vorkunov said. “The NBA is kind of like sifting through what the law firm they hired has found, deciding whether there’s a punishment or not that they then want to levy.”

The probe centers on allegations that Leonard‘s endorsement agreement with Aspiration—a now-bankrupt company financially connected to Ballmer—may have been used to circumvent the NBA’s salary cap. Leonard reportedly agreed to a four-year, $28 million endorsement deal that also included company equity, though he did not participate in traditional promotional campaigns for the company.

Wait continues for Leonard trade

The Clippers have denied any wrongdoing and maintain that the team was the victim of fraud related to Aspiration, rather than participating in an attempt to offer Leonard additional compensation.

Although the investigation phase appears to have concluded, the process could remain unresolved for some time. Vorkunov explained that any proposed penalty might have to be presented to an arbitrator in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement. The National Basketball Players Association would also intervene if the league decides to sanction Leonard, and either party could appeal the decision.

This uncertainty continues to delay the proposed trade that would send Leonard to Toronto in a package including Brandon Ingram, Gradey Dick, and future draft pick compensation. Vorkunov still expects the deal to materialize unless the NBA imposes the most severe penalty possible and voids Leonard’s contract.

For now, Leonard, Ingram, and Dick remain attached to their previous teams despite the trade agreement. With no firm timetable for a decision, the uncertainty could extend toward training camp. Leonard is coming off a season in which he averaged a career-high 27.9 points while remaining one of the NBA‘s most effective two-way players when available.