News of the day: Kawhi Leonard free to join Raptors as hammer falls on Clippers, and more

The NBA has fined the LA Clippers $30 million for violating salary rules to funnel millions to star player Kawhi Leonard. This is the largest fine in the league's history. Leonard allegedly pressured the Clippers into securing off-court income opportunities and successfully did so. The investigation began in September 2025 after a report from Pablo Torre claimed a $28 million endorsement deal between Leonard and Aspiration Fund Adviser LLC could have broken league rules.

In addition to the fine, the Clippers must forfeit five first-round draft picks between 2029 and 2033. Owner Steve Ballmer has been banned from league and team activities for a year. Clippers president Gillian Zucker has been suspended for a year without pay for providing "misleading statements" to investigators. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver expressed deep disappointment in the "flagrant violations" of the rules.

Leonard has accepted full responsibility for his actions and expressed regret over the distraction caused. He claims he entered the contract in good faith without knowledge of any intent to circumvent the salary cap. The NBA's investigation found a pattern of misconduct and multiple significant rule violations by the Clippers organization. Clippers have vowed to appeal the decision.