Getty
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 4: Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Balmer before a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Intuit Dome on February 4, 2026 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Wally Skalij/Getty Images) NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.
No NBA franchise is having a worse offseason than the Los Angeles Clippers this year. The drastic punishment of losing five future first round draft picks sees the franchise in a terrible situation moving forward. However, more negative news continues to leak after a new report claims that the owner Steve Ballmer tried to intimidate reporters with legal threats. Pablo Torres was not the only one to get threatened for their reporting of the Kawhi Leonard saga.
Longtime NBA reporter Chris Mannix shared a message he received for criticizing Ballmer:
“There were people [with the Clippers] saying this [investigation] was gonna end in lawsuits against Pablo… I had somebody tell me ‘You’re calling Steve Ballmer a liar? You better be careful: you could get sued too.’”
Mannix revealed that people with the Clippers tried to stop him from calling out Ballmer via legal threats. The Leonard story saw all reporters trying to get the inside scoop on what exactly the Clippers offered to get Kawhi over the Los Angeles Lakers and Toronto Raptors that offseason. Both Torre and Mannix were unofficially told they would be sued by one of the richest people in the world if they didn’t stop reporting the story via a critical lens.
Steve Ballmer Becoming Most Hated NBA Figure
A huge shift for Ballmer sees him going from one of the most beloved owners to the most hated. Ballmer purchased the Clippers during the Chris Paul era after the previous owner Donald Sterling was booted out of the league for extreme racist comments.
Ballmer has done a lot of good for the franchise by going after stars like Leonard and Paul George to give them more relevance. The huge money put into the Intuit Dome has made it among the most valuable NBA venues today.
However, the lying and shady deals to cheat the system already ended the momentum. New stories of his team intimidating writers in his name came off as a wealthy person using their power to push around others doing their job. With Ballmer and other figures suspended, Clippers head coach Ty Lue will have the pressure of answering questions all season.
Could Steve Ballmer Sell The Team?
The suspension removing him from any on-site job duties and the franchise getting put into a hopeless state could see change coming. Ballmer is now a hated figure to most in the NBA, and he likely has a grudge with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver for the punishment.
A realistic scenario could see Ballmer selling the Clippers and putting his massive wealth into another sports team in another league. However, Ballmer did seem to truly fall in love with being an NBA owner. The core of Brandon Ingram and Darius Garland could provide enough hope to stick around.
However, the relationship between Ballmer and the rest of the league will remain ugly for the foreseeable future. The Clippers will not be able to draft top players or trade future assets for an established star. Rookie Keaton Wagler is the only top pick they’ll have for a while, and the franchise future may be on his shoulders.
Joey Haverford Joey Haverford is a seasoned sports content writer with over 12 years of experience. He has covered the NBA, WNBA, MLB, NFL, and professional wrestling in the sports industry. More about Joey Haverford