Following this week’s Board of Governors meetings, NBA commissioner Adam Silver addressed the media. Naturally, the punishment for the Los Angeles Clippers was a big talking point in his remarks, as this was his first real opportunity to discuss the league’s decision.
The Clippers didn’t have a representative in the meetings, as they are still trying to figure out who the interim governor will be during Steve Ballmer’s one-year suspension. Silver said that this person would need to be vetted like any other owner.
Even though the Clippers didn’t have a representative there, Silver still made remarks that are highly relevant to the future of the organization. The commissioner was steadfast in his statement that the penalties are “final” and that he is looking forward to moving on.
It’s Time the Clippers and the NBA Moved On
At the same time, Clippers fans should still be encouraged by Silver’s words. He was sympathetic towards the fans’ suffering, saying, “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,” before adding that they didn’t do permanent damage to the franchise, per NBA.com’s Steve Aschburner.
Silver justified the punishment as a necessary deterrent to make sure other teams don’t engage in this type of behavior.
As angry and frustrated Clippers fans are about the whole saga, the fact that both Ballmer and the NBA want to move on is a good sign.
Silver expressed his appreciation that Ballmer accepted the league’s decision and the accompanying sanctions, before adding, “Our plan is to move forward. We have every reason to believe that at the end of the year [suspension], he’ll return to be an owner in good standing.”
There is no benefit to the Clippers in fighting with the league. Ballmer is the wealthiest team owner in the league, and the NBA wouldn’t benefit from losing him, either. The quicker Ballmer & Co. accept the penalties, the quicker the Clippers can begin to turn things around.
Plus, good behavior can result in the Clippers getting back some of their draft picks. The NBA eventually gave the Minnesota Timberwolves two of their picks back after stripping them of five first-round picks as part of the Joe Smith punishment in 2000. As long as Ballmer and the Clippers comply with the league, we could see a similar situation.
As Silver pointed out in his remarks, the league isn’t interested in punishing the Clippers for the sake of it. Ideally, they would want all of their teams to be relevant and competitive. But they also had to deter other teams from engaging in cap circumvention.
So, once the dust settles and the Clippers are on their best behavior, we could see them getting back some draft capital. At this point, that is the most Clippers fans can ask for.
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