• One is complete: the NBA has finished its nearly yearlong investigation into the team and Kawhi Leonard, found “multiple significant rules violations,” and handed down the harshest punishment it can for salary-cap circumvention.
  • The other is only beginning: the Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into the Clippers’ efforts to secure “no-show” endorsement deals for Leonard.
  • The NBA’s penalties are sweeping.
  • The Clippers were fined $30 million, owner Steve Ballmer was suspended from anything to do with the team or the league for one year, and team president of business operations Gillian Zucker and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank were also suspended.
  • The league also stripped the Clippers of five first-round picks: 2029, 2030, 2031, 2032 and 2033.
  • The Clippers, for their part, said they “intend to vigorously challenge these findings and penalties through every avenue available to them.” They have denied any wrongdoing and released a statement after the league’s findings.
  • The federal inquiry adds a different kind of uncertainty.