Ballmer apologises over Clippers salary-cap case but disputes findings
LA Clippers owner Steve Ballmer has apologised for the distress caused by the team's salary-cap case, without admitting guilt.
In a statement published on 14 September 2026, Ballmer said he had sincere regrets for the distraction and distress the matter had caused. He addressed the apology to Clippers fans, team employees and fellow NBA team owners, according to Deadline.
He did not accept wrongdoing. Ballmer said there are still disagreements concerning the findings in the NBA report.
The case centres on the salary cap, the league limit on what each team can spend on players. The NBA investigation found the Clippers had got around that limit and paid star forward Kawhi Leonard millions through no-show deals with sponsors, meaning paid sponsorship work he did not actually perform.
The punishment is severe. Ballmer was fined $30 million and suspended from all league and team activities for one year. The Clippers will forfeit their first-round NBA Draft picks from 2029 through 2033, losing their earliest chance each year to select young incoming players. Leonard was fined $700,000 and was not suspended, according to Deadline.
Ballmer said the Clippers had told the NBA they are complying with the penalties, have paid the fine and are moving forward.
The NBA had announced on 2 September 2026 that the Clippers and Leonard were penalised for violating salary-cap circumvention rules, as set out in its official release on the investigation, according to the NBA.
For fans, this means the argument is not fully closed. The fine is paid and the ban is in place. The question of what happened is still disputed.
