Suns owner Mat Ishbia reacts to Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, Kawhi Leonard saga
The NBA officially closed their investigation into the LA Clippers regarding potential salary cap circumvention regarding Kawhi Leonard, and the official punishments were handed down. With everybody in the world weighing in on the situation, Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia was one of the latest to express his thoughts , as per Daniel Roberts of Front […] The post Suns owner Mat Ishbia reacts to…
Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia weighed in on the recent NBA investigation into the LA Clippers concerning potential salary cap violations related to player Kawhi Leonard. According to Front Office Sports, Ishbia acknowledged that while the Clippers and owner Steve Ballmer's decisions regarding Leonard were problematic, it appears Ballmer may regret his actions.
Ishbia stated, "I think Steve probably regrets what he did. It doesn't make me not like Steve. I think Steve Ballmer's a great owner... That was a misstep." Following the NBA's investigation, Ballmer was suspended for a year, preventing him from having any interaction with the team. Clippers President Gillian Zucker faced a similar one-year suspension, as did President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank.
The team was also stripped of its first-round picks for five years, from the 2029 NBA Draft to 2033. Meanwhile, Kawhi Leonard was fined $70,000, and his uncle Dennis Robertson was banned from NBA-related business for five years. Leonard has since been traded to the Raptors, following a previously agreed-upon deal prior to the NBA's penalty.
The Clippers began their season without Leonard, winning their first game of the 2026-27 season against the Sacramento Kings.
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- Suns Owner Mat Ishbia: Steve Ballmer Is a ‘Great Owner’ frontofficesports.com
