Clippers owner Steve Ballmer accepts NBA's punishment after Kawhi Leonard scandal, won't pursue legal battle

Steve Ballmer is taking the NBA's punishment after all.

The Los Angeles Clippers owner, who vowed to fight back after the league handed down massive punishments earlier this month for salary cap circumvention related to Kawhi Leonard , has now reversed course and will accept the sanctions placed against him.

The fine, he said, has been paid. And while he still has "disagreements" with the NBA's findings, Ballmer said he just wants to move on.

"This has been a very difficult time for everybody associated with the Clippers, and for that, I have sincere regrets," Ballmer said in a statement on Sunday night. "I want to apologize to our fans, employees, and my fellow NBA team owners for the distraction and distress this matter has caused, for which I accept responsibility as principal owner. "We are committing to put this chapter behind us. We have communicated to the NBA that we are complying with the penalties assessed by the league, have paid the fine, and are moving forward. While there are still disagreements concerning the findings in the report, this is not where I want to focus. Team owners should support, not distract."

The NBA handed down several significant punishments after it determined the Clippers and Leonard circumvented the salary cap through deals with third-party companies, something that was first brought to light through a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigation from the "Pablo Torre Finds Out" podcast .

As a result, the league stripped the Clippers of five first-round draft picks, fined Ballmer $30 million and issued him a one-year ban from "all league and team activities." Leonard was also fined $700,000 for his role in the scandal, and other Clippers employees were also penalized. The NBA eventually returned two of the five first-round draft picks it took from the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2000 Joe Smith cap circumvention case because Timberwolves ownership and executives took responsibility for violating the league's rules — which could have factored in Ballmer's decision to accept the punishment.

The decision also could lead to the Clippers officially completing their trade to send Leonard to the Toronto Raptors .

Ballmer has long denied the allegations against him and his team, and the team had said it "vehemently" rejected the league's findings when the report was released. The team issued a letter to NBA commissioner Adam Silver, and called the investigation a "witch hunt."

That letter even claimed that Ballmer "spent nearly $50 million" to fund the probe that was run by an independent law firm, and that his "reputation has been irreparably damaged" in the "heavily biased investigation."

"This investigation has been flawed from the outset. And your decision to issue this report without any notice to the Clippers or their counsel is inexcusable," the letter concluded . "This type of witch hunt flies in the face of fundamental fairness and the integrity of the league and of this sport that we all love. We are exploring every legal remedy to address this gross injustice."

"This investigation has been flawed from the outset. And your decision to issue this report without any notice to the Clippers or their counsel is inexcusable," the letter concluded .

"This type of witch hunt flies in the face of fundamental fairness and the integrity of the league and of this sport that we all love. We are exploring every legal remedy to address this gross injustice."

Despite that, the Clippers' options to fight the findings initially appeared pretty limited. The NBA said in its report that the discipline had been agreed upon with the players' union and is "final and binding on all parties." There is no route within NBA bylaws to contest the investigation, either.

And, the NBA had plenty of receipts in the 35-page report. The league states that it had evidence that the Clippers facilitated third-party dealings between Leonard and vendors, and that they "induced the companies to enter into these agreements by offering them business from the team."

With few apparent paths forward, Ballmer decided to fold. He wants to put what has become a very expensive battle behind him after all.

While the Clippers have been hit hard by the league, and are down key draft picks for several years to come, Ballmer is ready to take his team forward and put the Leonard scandal to bed. He just won't be able to be around the team for the first year of that journey.

"The challenges ahead of us are significant, but so is our resolve," he said in his statement. "We will continue to build our team and invest in our community. The confidence of our fans is our priority. With our talented roster, outstanding staff and clear vision, I am certain that we will compete at the highest level and be an organization our fans can be proud of."