The NBA's investigation into the Los Angeles Clippers' alleged circumvention is finally complete, and not only did the league find truth to this allegation, they dropped the freakin' hammer on them. Not only will the team have to forfeit five first round picks from 2029-2033, but they also have to endure a $30 million fine, while Steve Ballmer, Gillian Zucker, and Lawrence Frank all have to serve suspensions (Ballmer and Zucker's suspensions will be for a year; Frank's will be for six months).
This is easily the worst punishment the NBA has ever dropped on a franchise, and it puts the Clippers in a serious team-building bind. Their future looks bleak, but there is a way for them to get out of this.
I'm not going to pretend it will be easy, but if the Clippers maintain these three core principles, they will navigate their way out of this mess.
1. Good Behavior
Before this Clippers' sentence, the stiffest punishment the league had ever handed out to a team was to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Back then, the team was also stripped of five first round picks for salary cap circumvention involving Joe Smith. However, they were eventually given back two of those picks.
The same thing could happen for the Clippers. Part of the reason that Adam Silver and league were so hard on the team is that they want to deter future copycats. In a couple of years, people will have forgotten about this, and maybe the league will look kindly on the downtrodden team.
2. Prioritize youth
It isn't the best young core, but this current Clippers' team does have some young players to nurture and help blossom. Keaton Wagler, Kobe Sanders, Yanic Konan Niederhauser, and Gradey Dick are all under 25 years old.
Wagler is the frontliner of this bunch, as the team's fifth overall pick, there is a lot of excitement and intrigue about what the rookie can eventually become. Niederhauser and Sanders both vastly outperformed expectations last season, despite neither of them being taken super highly in the 2025 NBA Draft. Dick didn't live up to the hype with the Toronto Raptors, but the Clippers need to take what they have and be patient with the former lottery pick. If Sam Darnold could turn into a Super Bowl quarterback, there is hope for anyone.
3. Rehab and recoup
The Raptors already started this part of the plan with their Leonard trade. Along with Dick, the Clippers received Brandon Ingram, two first round picks, a first round pick swap, and two second round picks.
Getting that draft capital was super helpful, but what would be even better is if they could also rehab Ingram's value with a strong season (something I could certainly see happening) and trade him for some more assets. They could potentially try the same strategy with Darius Garland, although I think he could be part of their next great team.
Speaking of recouping assets, the Clippers need to be dilligent about taking advantage of any opportunties they have to buy-low on other people's damaged goods -- think about what the Dallas Mavericks did with Zacharie Risacher.
It won't be easy, but if the Clippers can execute some version of this plan, they may be able to mitigate the damages caused by this disastorous situation.
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