NBA Commissioner Details Hard Decision to Strip Clippers of Five Draft Picks

Precedent for the Penalty

The NBA used past cases to decide on the massive penalties handed down to the Los Angeles Clippers. League commissioner Adam Silver said officials looked at precedent before taking away five first-round draft picks from the franchise.

Speaking on Tuesday after a board of governors meeting, Silver pointed to a past case involving the Minnesota Timberwolves. Minnesota was also stripped of five draft picks for circumventing the salary cap.

Silver admitted that making the decision was tough because of how it affects the fans of the team. He does not believe the loss of picks will cause permanent damage to the Clippers, but he acknowledged it is a major setback.

Impact on Fans and Franchise

Silver shared his thoughts on the difficulty of punishing a team. He explained that while violations must have competitive consequences, the league still wants to support all 30 teams.

"I think that's, in some ways, the most difficult part of adjudicating these disputes," Silver said. He added that the league recognizes it is unfortunately punishing the fans of the team as well.

These remarks were the commissioner's first public comments since the league concluded its yearlong investigation. The probe found that the Clippers circumvented salary cap rules on behalf of Kawhi Leonard. The team had denied the allegations during the investigation.

The Consequences and Next Steps

The investigation resulted in heavy sanctions earlier this month. Along with losing five first-round draft picks, the Clippers must pay a 30 million dollar fine. Team owner Steve Ballmer was also suspended for one year.

Ballmer said earlier this week that he would accept the penalties. He also confirmed that the 30 million dollar fine has already been paid.

Meanwhile, the trade sending Leonard back to the Toronto Raptors was completed on Monday after getting league approval.

The Clippers did not have anyone representing them at the recent board of governors meeting. Silver explained that the franchise is still looking for an interim governor.