NBA says it looked at precedent before doling out Clippers’ penalties for cap circumvention

NBA says it looked at precedent before doling out Clippers’ penalties for cap circumvention BRIAN MAHONEY NEW YORK THE ASSOCIATED PRESS PUBLISHED 4 HOURS AGO UPDATED 1 HOUR AGO Open this photo in gallery: Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer looks on as players warm-up prior to a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2025. JAYNE KAMIN-ONCEA/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS COMMENTS SHARE SAVE FOR LATER Listen to this article Learn more about audio Log in or create a free account to listen to this article. NBA commissioner Adam Silver wanted to impose a significant punishment on the Los Angeles Clippers for circumventing salary cap rules, even while understanding the impact it will have on fans hoping to see a winning team. Forfeiting five first-round draft picks might make it difficult for the Clippers to deliver one. “I don’t think in any way we’ve done permanent damage to this franchise. No question, this is a setback for the team,” Silver said Tuesday. “The ultimate goal in terms of these type of sanctions is to ensure that other teams don’t engage in this type of behaviour in the future.” He added that he has “no inkling” any other teams are doing it now. Silver’s news conference following the NBA’s two-day board of governors meeting included his first remarks after the Clippers were found to have circumvented salary cap rules on Kawhi Leonard’s behalf – something the team vehemently denied during a yearlong investigation. The NBA hit the Clippers earlier this month with massive penalties as a result of that probe, suspending owner Steve Ballmer for one year, fining the team US$30-million and forcing it to forfeit draft picks, among other sanctions. Silver said he relied on precedent in his ruling, pointing to how the Minnesota Timberwolves were once docked five picks for cap circumvention. In this case, he said the penalty had to go beyond suspensions and financial consequences. “That has to go directly to competition,” he said. “I think that’s in some ways the most difficult part of adjudicating these disputes,” Silver added, “because while there have to be competitive consequences, our view, if these rules are violated, we still want to be a 30-team league. 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.” Ballmer said this weekend that he would accept the penalties and that the fine had been paid. His statement did not admit any guilt on the part of the…