Clippers Too Big to Punish? NBA Shields LAC in Kawhi Scandal

While fans on social media push for harsh penalties for the Clippers, it looks like that will not happen. According to Article XIII of the CBA, the league can punish the Clippers in a variety of ways. Some of the harsh penalties include voiding Kawhi’s contract and banning him from re-signing with LA, forfeiting future draft picks (right now, the Clippers do not control their pick until 2030), suspending Ballmer and team officials for a year, and cash fines.

Adam Silver’s Statement on the Clippers Saga

A week ago, Adam Silver gave his first statement about the Kawhi, Clippers, and Aspiration drama. He said:

“I’m a lawyer. I believe in due process. I believe in fairness. We will begin with a presumption of innocence, not a presumption of guilt. We will follow the facts.”

He also said that he had never heard of the company Aspiration before, or anything about an endorsement deal with Kawhi. But the part that angered fans is when he said the burden of proof is on the NBA, not on the Clippers. In a way, he said that the NBA has to prove that the Clippers are guilty, not the Clippers proving they are innocent.

Is the Clippers’ Future in Danger?

Under Steve Ballmer, the Los Angeles Clippers managed to turn from a laughing stock into a model of consistency. Ballmer bought the team in 2014 for $2 billion, a record price at the time. Right now, the Clippers hold the record for an active streak of most consecutive winning seasons with 14. The streak started in 2011-12 when Chris Paul joined the team. But under Ballmer’s guidance, the team has been a consistent winner. They haven’t made the Finals, but they have had seven 50+ win seasons. They have also made the playoffs in 12 of those 14 seasons.

Now, with the Kawhi drama hanging over the franchise, that streak might come to an end. If the Clippers lose any future first-round picks, they will be set back for years. Yes, they do plan to have cap space in 2027. But without first-round picks to round out the roster and make trades, they cannot build a contender with just cap space.