{"id":835006,"date":"2026-09-14T10:39:19","date_gmt":"2026-09-14T10:39:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/835006\/"},"modified":"2026-09-14T10:39:19","modified_gmt":"2026-09-14T10:39:19","slug":"the-potential-reward-la-clippers-could-get-by-complying-with-the-nba-verdict","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/835006\/","title":{"rendered":"The potential reward LA Clippers could get by complying with the NBA verdict"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>   <a class=\"fw\" href=\"https:\/\/profile.google.com\/cp\/Cg0vZy8xMWcxajNfc2h3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"28\" height=\"28\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hitc.com\/wp-content\/themes\/grv-media\/img\/google-discover.svg\" alt=\"\"\/> Follow us on Google Discover <\/a>  <\/p>\n<p>Steve Ballmer and the Los Angeles Clippers have taken accountability for their actions. However, they may have a reason beyond just altruism for doing so. <\/p>\n<p>The final word on the salary cap circumvention saga involving the LA Clippers and Kawhi Leonard is here. On Sunday, owner Steve Ballmer released a statement stating the team\u2019s intention to comply with the NBA\u2019s decision. <\/p>\n<p>Ballmer suggested that while the team still disagreed with some of the details, neither he nor the Clippers would fight the verdict. He accepted responsibility and shared an apology. <\/p>\n<p>While this is a good way for the franchise to start moving on from the entire fiasco, a recent report mentions an interesting fact which could have motivated this public announcement. <\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/GettyImages-2262201316-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"LA Clippers owner Steve Ballmer reacts in the first half of a NBA basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the LA Clippers at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Friday, February 20, 2026.\" class=\"wp-image-2613402\" \/>Photo by Keith Birmingham\/MediaNews Group\/Pasadena Star-News via Getty ImagesThe LA Clippers could be hoping to get one of their first-round picks back by complying<\/p>\n<p>The worst part of this punishment for the franchise is the loss of five future first-round picks. This essentially cripples the organisation at a time that is crucial for them to rebuild. <\/p>\n<p>However, as per <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/7592689\/2026\/09\/13\/steve-ballmer-clippers-nba-punishment-lawsuit-apology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">The Athletic<\/a>, Ballmer\u2019s statement could be a ploy to get that sentence reduced. This is something that the NBA has precedent for, too. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis choice to comply, however, could potentially open discussions between the Clippers and the NBA about lessening the discipline,\u201d Sam Amick wrote. <\/p>\n<p><a class=\"grv-tpwp-permalink-overlay\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hitc.com\/talkingpoints\/talk-nba\/3321aa3e-the-verdict-is-in-what-do-you-make-of-the\/\" aria-label=\"The verdict is in! What do you make of the Clippers&#039; punishment for the Kawhi Leonard investigation? \ud83e\udd2f\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">       <\/p>\n<p> The verdict is in! What do you make of the Clippers&#8217; punishment for the Kawhi Leonard investigation? \ud83e\udd2f <\/p>\n<p>    <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"  src=\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1788700519_307_image-1080x1350.jpg\" alt=\"\"\/>   <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere is precedent on that front, as the Minnesota Timberwolves were given a first-round draft pick back for compliance in the Joe Smith case in 2000.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>MORE STEVE BALLMER STORIES<\/p>\n<p>Getting even one pick back would be massive for the Clippers as the ball club tries to move on from this situation. The right type of trades should also create some more assets. That might be worth the chagrin of having to admit wrongdoing. <\/p>\n<p>Join Our Newsletter<\/p>\n<p>Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox<\/p>\n<p>    <a class=\"fw\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=hitc.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"28\" height=\"28\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hitc.com\/wp-content\/themes\/grv-media\/img\/google-discover.svg\" alt=\"\"\/> Add to Preferred Sources <\/a>  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Follow us on Google Discover Steve Ballmer and the Los Angeles Clippers have taken accountability for their actions.&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":814775,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[7,135,6,3677],"class_list":["post-835006","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nba","tag-basketball","tag-los-angeles-clippers","tag-nba","tag-steve-ballmer"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/117268969521931234","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/835006","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=835006"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/835006\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/814775"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=835006"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=835006"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=835006"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}