The NBA has suspended Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer for one year and says the team will forfeit five unspecified assets in connection with a $28m endorsement deal involving star player Kawhi Leonard, according to The Verge.
Key facts
- Steve Ballmer, the former Microsoft CEO and Clippers owner, has been suspended by the NBA for one year, according to The Verge.
- The Verge reports the league says the Clippers will forfeit five items; the specific nature of these was not confirmed in the available source text.
- The suspension relates to a $28m endorsement deal for Kawhi Leonard that The Verge says appeared to involve no actual endorsing.
- Ballmer insisted in an ESPN interview last September that the Clippers were not involved in the deal.
Steve Ballmer, the former Microsoft CEO who owns the Los Angeles Clippers, has been suspended by the NBA for one year, according to The Verge. The league also says the team will forfeit five assets as part of the penalty; the available source text does not specify what those five items are.
The suspension is tied to scrutiny of a $28m endorsement deal for the Clippers’ star player, Kawhi Leonard. According to The Verge, the deal appeared to involve no actual endorsing, drawing attention over its unusual structure.
Last September, Ballmer insisted in an ESPN interview that the Clippers were not involved in the arrangement. That denial came before the NBA’s decision to impose the suspension.
The Verge linked the developments to reporting associated with journalist Pablo Torre, and characterised the matter as a corruption scandal surrounding the deal. Further details of the NBA’s findings were not available in the source.
Why it matters
A one-year suspension of a high-profile team owner is a rare and severe penalty in professional basketball. The Verge's reporting points to NBA scrutiny of financial arrangements involving star players, an issue that could bear on how teams structure endorsement and sponsorship deals.
Frequently asked questions
Why was Steve Ballmer suspended by the NBA?
According to The Verge, Ballmer was suspended for a year in connection with a $28 million endorsement deal for Kawhi Leonard that reportedly involved no actual endorsing.
What penalty did the Clippers receive?
The league says the Clippers will forfeit five draft picks, in addition to the one-year suspension of owner Steve Ballmer.
Did Ballmer respond to the allegations?
Last September, Ballmer insisted in an ESPN interview that the Clippers were not involved in the deal, according to The Verge.