Winners and Losers of NBA’s Draconian Clippers Ruling
The punishments have sent shockwaves around sports media.
The NBA's harsh punishment of the Clippers on Wednesday produced a mix of winners and losers in the sports world. The investigative journalist Pablo Torre emerged victorious, vindicated by the findings of the law firm Wachtell Lipton Rosen & Katz. Fellow independent sports journalists Joon Lee and Adam Silver praised Torre's reporting, with Silver particularly noting Ballmer's significant suspension.
Two-time MVP Kawhi Leonard faced a relatively light penalty, fined $700,000, but still kept his $50 million salary and trade expectations intact. The Losers included the Clippers themselves, who received a severe punishment that could include a sale, losing multiple draft picks and facing fines. The investigative team at ESPN also took flak for their earlier story claiming no evidence of Ballmer's alleged wrongdoing, while former critics of Pablo Torre's work began to show support.
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