Is NBA expected to significantly punish Clippers over Kawhi Leonard scandal?

Sports journalist Pablo Torre has unleashed trouble upon the Los Angeles Clippers.

The former ESPN personality has released a series of podcast episodes following money trails, LLCs and actual witnesses to detail how Clippers owner Steve Ballmer allegedly used a company to circumvent the salary cap through a no-show endorsement deal for Kawhi Leonard and multiple perks for his unofficial agent, Dennis Robertson.

Ballmer and the Clippers have denied all wrongdoing. NBA commissioner Adam Silver, though, may have to lay the "hammer" on the team. 

Is NBA bracing to punish Los Angeles Clippers?

Sam Amick of The Athletic reported that the word around the league is that, while Silver said there's still no resolution on the matter, things will get ugly in Inglewood.

“In the weeks leading up to Ballmer’s big bash, there was a significant upswing in league-wide speculation that the NBA’s hammer is likely to fall on the Clippers. This was a noticeable shift from earlier in the season, when so many seemed to believe that the Leonard/Aspiration scandal might come and go without any substantive punishment being handed down,” Amick wrote. 

Amick also wondered whether the Clippers gave president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank a lengthy contract extension as "a preemptive battening of the hatches," as well as if trading Ivica Zubac may have been a way to recoup draft picks in case the league strips them of some as punishment. 

Also, Amick wondered if James Harden's shocking, sudden trade request may have been an indication of what's to come, with the former MVP not wanting to be part of it.

If found guilty, the NBA could strip the Clippers of several first-round selections and even void Leonard's contract.