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3 Steps For The Clippers To Recover And Survive NBA’s Brutal Penalties
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- 3 Steps For The Clippers To Recover And Survive NBA’s Brutal Penalties
Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
The Los Angeles Clippers made a serious mistake in their arrangement with Kawhi Leonard , and they are having to pay the ultimate price. For their role in the illegal arrangement of exclusive, no-show sponsorship deals with Leonard, the franchise will have to fork over five first-round picks and $30 million. The ruling also came with a year-long suspension for team owner Steve Ballmer and other executives.
By all accounts, it's the most severe punishment ever handed down by the NBA, a punishment which Adam Silver says matches the severity of the crime. Without any of their own picks, the Clippers will struggle to secure trades, and they won't have an avenue to find stars through the draft. In free agency, players will hesitate to join the team on account of their lack of assets and the ruined reputation of the front office.
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In many ways, the NBA's ruling was a death blow for the Clippers that set them back for 10 years. But if they play their cards right, there is a way the franchise can lessen the damage and turn an impossibly bad situation into something much more manageable. Such a scenario would require some crucial steps by the Clippers, with the most important one being the pending Kawhi Leonard trade.
1. Receive Two Future Picks From The Raptors
Between the NBA's penalties and the initial Paul George trade in 2019, the Clippers have given up 10 first-round picks and two All-Stars for Kawhi, but they can get at least two picks back in the pending Kawhi Leonard trade. The two sides agreed to the deal earlier in the summer, which sent Kawhi back to Toronto for Brandon Ingram , Gradey Dick , two unprotected firsts, and a pick swap. While the Raptors had to call off the trade during the active cap-circumvention investigation, they are free to finalize the deal now that Leonard has been cleared .
The picks in 2031 and 2033 would give the Clippers some crucial draft capital where they would otherwise have none, allowing them a route to add and develop young talent. The value of the picks remains to be seen, but the Raptors may not be competitive by 2031, potentially putting the Clippers in play for an early spot in the draft. Just two picks are a far cry from all that the Clippers lost this summer, but there is yet more they could do to stack the odds in their favor.
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2. Cooperate With The NBA For A Lighter Penalty
The Clippers have fought the NBA the entire way through this process , and they have announced that they will continue the fight by whatever means at their disposal. If they're smart, however, the Clippers might consider accepting the penalties and cooperating with the league going forward . In 2000, when the Timberwolves received a similar punishment for their dealings with Joe Smith , the league only ended up taking three draft picks despite initially being forced to give up five.
The key factor for the Timberwolves is that they took full accountability for their mistakes and worked with the NBA and all parties involved to make things right. They never misled investigators or sought to challenge the league's findings. The Clippers might also earn similar grace if they change their current tune and take a more humble approach to the situation. If they can get back one or two picks, on top of the ones they get back for Kawhi, the Clippers would already have a solid foundation to keep them afloat in the years to come.
3. Replace Front Office Staff
The Clippers' reputation has been critically damaged by the cap circumvention scandal, and they will have to work toward restoring it before they can fully move forward as a team. Since the corruption ran from the very top, it'll be up to Steve Ballmer to send a message and decide what kind of culture he wants his team to have. With Kawhi Leonard and Dennis Robertson already out, the best way to start a clean slate is by replacing the guys responsible for the illegal acts; specifically, team Presidents Gillian Zucker and Lawrence Frank.
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In the NBA's investigation, it found Zucker and Frank primarily responsible for the scheme, which involved illegal endorsement deals to get Leonard paid under the cap. They both received suspensions for one year and six months, respectively, but many feel it's not enough. For the Clippers, installing new leadership would send the right message that they are turning over a new leaf and leaving their shady antics behind.
