Clippers Reach A Breaking Point As Steve Ballmer Stands Firm

The Los Angeles Clippers are trying to move forward with a major part of their organization suspended. The franchise still has basketball business to finish, but its usual chain of command has been thrown off by the NBA's punishment of several top executives.

That disruption is already affecting one of the team's biggest pending moves. The trade sending Kawhi Leonard to Toronto has not been finalized, even after the NBA completed its investigation and handed down its penalties.

Clippers Are Trying To Navigate A New Power Structure

Steve Ballmer has been suspended for one year, while president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank is suspended for six months. President of business operations Gillian Zucker also received a one-year suspension, leaving the Clippers to reorganize their leadership at a critical point in the offseason.

That has created an unusual problem for the franchise. "No one is running the Clippers right now," Pablo Torre said while discussing the situation .

The Clippers still expect the Leonard trade with Toronto to go through, according to multiple reports. The delay now appears to be tied to the front office changes rather than to a disagreement over the basketball deal itself.

Steve Ballmer Has More At Stake Than A League Punishment

The NBA fined the Clippers $30 million and stripped the team of five future first-round picks after finding multiple salary-cap violations connected to Leonard's off-court income opportunities. Ballmer was suspended after the league said he knowingly helped Leonard obtain outside income.

Torre believes Ballmer's refusal to concede anything during settlement discussions has a wider legal context. "The primary explanation for why Steve Ballmer would not want to concede anything," Torre said, is tied to "every other thing happening to him in the real world."

Those issues include legal and regulatory scrutiny involving Aspiration, the now-defunct company linked to Leonard's endorsement deal. Torre pointed to a civil lawsuit involving Aspiration investors and ongoing SEC investigations.

"There is a civil suit brought by 11 Aspiration investors," Torre said.

The Justice Department is now conducting a criminal investigation into the Clippers' dealings with Leonard, according to Reuters . The investigation includes at least one subpoena and follows the NBA's finding that the team violated its salary-cap rules.

That changes the stakes for Ballmer. Fighting the NBA's ruling is one matter, but admitting wrongdoing could have consequences beyond the league.

The Clippers have continued to deny wrongdoing and called the NBA investigation biased. Meanwhile, the franchise has to rebuild its leadership structure while trying to finish the Leonard trade and prepare for the season.

The basketball side cannot wait forever. But for Ballmer, Torre's argument is that the larger legal fight may explain why he is willing to hold his ground.